With smoke on the horizon and sirens never far off, the people of Mesa County showed up — not for an emergency, but to get ready for one. On July 27, the Mesa County Fire Authority hosted its annual safety fair and fundraiser, mixing education with cookies and CPR, and hoping it all adds up to better preparedness.

Held under a scorching summer sun in Grand Junction, the event featured everything from bake sales and silent auctions to fire extinguisher demos and hands-on CPR lessons. But beneath the casual vibe was a serious message: wildfire season is here, and volunteer firefighters need help to stay equipped.

Fundraising for More Than Gear

There’s a reason this event wasn’t just a cookout or town hall. It was a call for support.

Firefighter Kris Hubbs didn’t sugarcoat it. “The importance of fundraising right now is so that way we can build up the money to be able to properly fit our firefighters,” he said. “We’re talking wildland response, gear, everything.”

Hubbs knows the costs firsthand. Helmets. Fire shelters. Nomex suits. Radios. Fuel. “You add all that up for a crew of volunteers, and it gets real expensive, real quick.”

They’re not asking for luxury — they’re asking for safety.

In a county where so many first responders roll out of bed and into emergencies with no pay, funding is often the difference between showing up with the right tools — or none at all.

Teaching the Basics, Because Seconds Count

But the event wasn’t just about money. It was about skill-sharing. Real, potentially life-saving knowledge.

“We are teaching basic life-saving measures,” Hubbs explained. “CPR, fire prevention, stuff of that nature.”

This wasn’t a certifying class. No certificates. No pressure. Just a chance for people to learn what to do while waiting for help.

And that’s the key. In Mesa County, most firefighters are volunteers. That means response times can stretch — especially at 3 a.m., when someone has to wake up, gear up, and drive in from home.

“One sentence: seconds matter,” Hubbs said.

He’s not exaggerating. During cardiac arrest, the chance of survival drops by 10% for every minute without CPR. Knowing how to act — even a little — can mean the difference between life and death.

Community Spirit on Full Display

The parking lot buzzed with activity. Kids climbed through fire trucks. Parents watched live demos on extinguishing stovetop grease fires. Meanwhile, over at the silent auction, bidders eyed items from local businesses — hiking gear, gift cards, and even homemade quilts.

In the corner, tables filled with cupcakes, brownies, and lemonade stood like a sugary army, ready to be devoured in the name of preparedness.

And people gave. Generously.

Here’s what was on offer:

• Silent auction featuring over 30 donated items from local businesses

• Bake sale with goods contributed by firefighters’ families

• Live fire safety demonstrations every hour

• CPR stations with mannequins and volunteers walking folks through chest compressions

• Firewise landscaping education from state wildfire specialists

It wasn’t flashy. But it was real.

Volunteer Firefighting: A Backbone That Needs Strengthening

Mesa County Fire Authority is made up of mostly volunteers. That model works — until it doesn’t.

“We’re not like big-city fire departments,” Hubbs said. “We don’t have folks in a station 24/7. We’re dads, moms, neighbors. We come when we’re called.”

That reality makes events like this vital. Not just for money, but for visibility. It’s easier to trust someone in an emergency when you’ve met them before — when you’ve seen their face over coffee and cookies.

And that’s the whole point, as Hubbs put it bluntly: “Learn each other’s names. Then grow from there.”

The Long Game: Building Fire-Ready Citizens

It’s easy to forget that fire prevention doesn’t start when the flames do. It starts with knowledge — and relationships.

Mesa County knows that. And they’re banking on events like this to bridge the gap between professional firefighting and public responsibility.

The idea isn’t new. But it’s more urgent now, as the West continues to dry out and burn faster each year.

In 2024, Colorado saw over 3,000 wildfires. Mesa County had 42 of them. Most were contained early — but not all. That’s the difference proper funding and training can make.

And it’s not just firefighters who need to be ready.

“We don’t want people to panic. We want them to act,” said one volunteer EMT. “We want them to know how to hold pressure on a wound. How to check breathing. How to call in a report clearly.”

One sentence: preparedness starts at home.