Longmont’s all-volunteer rescue team, a familiar sight at crash scenes, water rescues, and late-night searches, is sounding an alarm of its own: the money is running out, and with it, possibly their ability to show up when the call comes in. Volunteers with the Longmont Emergency Unit say a shrinking roster, surprise repair costs, and a tight nonprofit budget have pushed the group into a financial danger zone.
According to reporting from The Denver Post, the nonprofit currently has about 18 active members and responds to roughly 200 to 300 calls each year. The outlet notes the unit runs on an annual budget of around $65,000, with the city providing just under $61,000 this year. The Post also reports that more than $20,000 has gone into building repairs in recent years, leaving almost no padding for the next broken part or blown compressor.
What the unit does
The Longmont Emergency Unit describes itself as a 24/7, all-volunteer technical search-and-rescue squad that steps in to assist police at traffic crashes, dive recoveries, evidence searches, and nighttime scenes that need extra lighting. Its history page says the team was formed in 1957 after a local drowning spurred residents to organize trained divers. Volunteers say they never bill for responses and instead rely on donations and fundraising to cover gear and training, according to the Longmont Emergency Unit.
Finances show a growing gap
Public tax records reviewed by ProPublica show the numbers are not trending in the unit’s favor. The group’s 2024 Form 990 lists about $102,000 in revenue against roughly $169,000 in expenses. Data on ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer also shows contributions hovering in the low-to-mid $60,000 range in recent years, leaving the rescue unit heavily dependent on a relatively small pool of support. Those filings underscore how a single big repair bill or a sluggish donation year could quickly undercut the team’s ability to roll out the trucks.
Leaders warn there may be no cushion
Members say that if LEU folds, the city would lose a specialized set of skills and equipment that local agencies would not be able to replicate overnight. The unit has been dispatched to high-profile scenes, including a crash investigation that needed a large vehicle with a light tower on the night a 2-year-old was killed in an Erie hit-and-run. Volunteer lieutenant Ryan Medhurst summed up the unit’s mission for reporters, saying, “We’re problem solvers.”
Unit leaders, including Mike Anderson, have warned that without new funding, the organization “may not be able to continue operating in a year or 18 months,” according to The Denver Post. In other words, the clock is ticking, and it is not just on the wall of the rescue barn.
What comes next
Longmont’s municipal documents and past budgets indicate the city has provided smaller amounts of support in previous years and that there are existing public funding channels available for community safety projects. Local planners and nearby nonprofits say quick-hit fundraisers, targeted grant applications, and renewed volunteer drives could keep the unit afloat a bit longer while leaders work on more dependable revenue sources.
City materials that outline prior collaborations with the unit, along with related park projects, point to municipal partnerships as one potential way to preserve the service, according to the City of Longmont.
How to help
Volunteers and board members say that right now, bodies and dollars are the two most critical needs. The group’s website offers a volunteer application and an online donation portal for anyone looking to help keep the trucks fueled and the doors open, according to the Longmont Emergency Unit. Those who want to train with the team or contribute financially can find contact details and event listings on the unit’s public pages.
Community groups and neighborhood fundraisers may end up being the fastest way to bring in immediate cash while leaders chase larger grants and long-term solutions. For now, the fate of Longmont’s volunteer rescue squad may come down to whether residents are willing to help the helpers.
