Following their busiest year to date, the Edison Fire Protection District (EFPD) cut its emergency response times by almost 12 minutes in 2025.EFPD released its 2025 annual report, highlighting the time reduction and more than $ 218,000 in grants and donations that have significantly strengthened the district's emergency services in El Paso, Lincoln, and Pueblo counties.The breakdown of the $218,325.95 in grant funding and donated equipment from 2025 can be found below: $146,825.95  FEMA AFG SAFER Recruitment Retention Grant $40,000  Ambulance donated by Franktown Fire Protection District $25,000  Portable radios donated by Colorado State Patrol $6,500  Hose and nozzle equipment grant from Tallgrass EnergyThe average response time in 2024 was 40 minutes and 12 seconds, while the average time in 2025 was 28 minutes and 19 seconds. In the rural fire service world, cutting response times by nearly twelve minutes is a major operational achievement. That time can mean the difference between a room-and-contents fire and a total structure loss or between life and death in a medical emergency.EFPD says the improvement was driven by; The implementation of a formal Automatic Mutual Aid Agreement with the Tri-County Fire Protection District Strategic use of a FEMA AFG SAFER Recruitment and Retention GrantLast year, EFPD responded to 300 total incidents, calling it their busiest year to date. 14 Fire Incidents 131 EMS and Rescue Calls 256 Automatic Aid Responses Given 0 Firefighter InjuriesGrants and donations have also allowed EFPD to incorporate more training and protective equipment, more than double its membership, and receive a new donated ambulance.EFPD says 2025 was a turning point for the district. We are better staffed, better equipped, and responding faster than at any point in recent history. This is what responsible grant stewardship and strong regional partnerships can accomplish for rural communities.____Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching. ...read more read less