Dual mergers to double reach

South Metro Fire Rescue, which provides fire and emergency services to 203,000 residents across Denver’s southern suburbs, hopes to nearly double its reach through a pair of major mergers with neighboring fire protection districts.

Littleton Fire Protection District on Friday announced it has agreed to join forces with South Metro, though an election in May is still required before the deal is finalized. If approved by voters, the merger would go into effect Jan. 1, 2019.

Littleton Fire Protection District serves 80,000 residents in Arapahoe, Douglas and Jefferson counties. South Metro covers Centennial, Parker, Greenwood Village and other suburban cities.

Meanwhile Cunningham Fire Protection District, which serves 75,000 residents in Arapahoe County, also agreed this week to join forces with South Metro in a deal that doesn’t require voter approval.

The dual mergers would bump up the number of people in South Metro Fire Rescue’s service area from 203,000 to more than 350,000.

This week’s announcements follow several years of major fire district consolidations in the metro area, including the merger of the Englewood Fire Department with the Denver Fire Department in 2015 and the unification of the Wheat Ridge Fire Protection District with West Metro Fire Rescue the following year.

Earlier this year, South Metro and Littleton Fire Rescue, which covers 220,000 people in and around the city of Littleton and Highlands Ranch, were talking about a tieup. Those discussions continue, South Metro spokeswoman Kristin Eckmann said Friday.

South Metro fire chief Bob Baker said the merger with Littleton Fire Protection District gives both districts “an opportunity to work together to provide the best possible care to our communities in the most economical and sustainable way as possible.”

South Metro has 17 fire stations and 397 firefighters, while Cunningham has three stations and 76 personnel. Littleton Fire Protection District has three stations, and through a contract, is served by 140 Littleton Fire Rescue firefighters.