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Douglas County approves $4.22 million helitack hangar for county‑run wildfire helicopter
Summary
The Douglas County Board of County Commissioners voted to award a $4,221,302 contract to TCC Corporation for a climate‑controlled helitack hangar, a step officials said will improve year‑round helicopter readiness for wildfire response.
The Douglas County Board of County Commissioners on June 23 approved a $4,221,302 contract with TCC Corporation to build a climate‑controlled hangar for the county’s helitack helicopter, officials said.
County facilities chief Tim Hallmark said the award covers Phase 1 of the Regional Joint Public Safety Training Complex and is intended to house the helitack aircraft that supports wildland‑fire response across the Front Range. Hallmark told commissioners that, if approved, design work would move forward within about 60 days and a groundbreaking could follow roughly 90 days later, with an anticipated opening in spring 2027 if timelines hold.
Why it matters: Michael Alexander, Douglas County’s director of emergency management, described the helitack program as a central tool in local wildfire protection. “We’re currently in the 9th year of helitack and helicopter operations contracting here in Douglas County,” Alexander said, citing 331 helicopter flight missions since the program began and saying the county has responded to 112 wildland fire missions — 81 of them inside Douglas County. “We estimate that we have protected around $17,000,000,000 worth of property value,” he said.
County staff provided a cost breakdown during the presentation: they listed the total contract award as $4,221,302 and identified components of the project — the hangar, wet utilities and a construction contingency — as line items in the contract documents. Funding for the award was identified in fund 240 (BU870055), staff said.
Commissioners and staff described practical advantages: Alexander said a climate‑controlled hangar will avoid the need to shelter the helicopter under temporary structures that add roughly 15 minutes to response time. “If we have a hangar, we’re able to just roll it out and go to work whenever needed,” he said. Commissioner Layden said the hangar will increase availability in months when weather otherwise would keep the aircraft out of immediate service.
The vote: Commissioner Layden moved to approve the purchase order and contract; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote.
What’s next: Facilities staff will proceed to final design with TCC Corp. County officials said funding is in place and construction scheduling will proceed subject to design and contractor coordination.
