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Summit Fire & EMS board president Jim Cox retires

Jim Cox smiles as he parks an antique 1942 Sterling fire engine at the Summit Fire & EMS Administration Building in Frisco on Oct. 7, 2019.
Photo by Liz Copan / Summit Daily News archive

Summit Fire & EMS bid farewell to Jim Cox last month, the long-time president of the fire district’s board of directors.

Cox began his work in the community with the Snake River Fire Department and helped to guide the organization through its subsequent iterations of the Lake Dillon Fire Protection District and the current Summit Fire & EMS Fire Protection District.

After 18 years with the organization, Cox and his wife, Maggie, now plan to move to the Grand Junction area.



“I kind of got suckered into it at first, but it’s been a fun ride and a challenging adventure,” Cox said of his time with the district. “I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, but it’s time to move on.”

Cox, a retired United Airlines and IBM employee, moved to Summit County in 2002, according to Summit Fire. He was recruited into running for an open board position soon after by now-retired Snake River Fire Chief Dave Parmley.



Cox helped to oversee the district’s mergers with Copper Mountain Fire in 2018 and the Summit County Ambulance Service in 2019, the most recent unions that brought the district to its current status as an all-hazards emergency response agency providing service to nearly 300 square miles throughout the county and employing about 100 full-time workers.

During his time with the department, Summit Fire was also awarded professional accreditation from the Center for Fire Safety and Excellence and opened its new administration building at the Summit County Commons near Frisco.

Jim Cox proudly displays the certificate of accreditation earned by Summit Fire & EMS from the Center for Public Safety Excellence in 2018.
Photo from Summit Fire & EMS

“Jim’s incredible record of dedicated and selfless service on the board of directors for Summit Fire & EMS spans nearly two decades,” Parmley said. “Starting with serving on the board with Snake River Fire, Jim has been instrumental in successfully seeing consolidations come to fruition as well as other major endeavors move forward to enhance and improve the delivery of fire and emergency services for the benefit of our citizens and visitors.”

In addition to his work with the fire district, Cox was also a dedicated volunteer in the community, lending his time to the Dillon Ranger District, the Lake Dillon Theater Company and other events and organizations throughout the county.

Summit Fire leadership honored Cox at his last meeting in July with a proclamation thanking him for his service to the community.

“Regrettably, my time working directly with Jim has been short, but his steady presence, consistency and clear vision have guided the various iterations over the years, bringing Summit Fire & EMS to where it is today,” Summit Fire Chief Travis Davis said. “I thank him for all of his service over the years and wish him the best in this next chapter.”

Summit Fire & EMS Public Information Officer Steve Lipsher said the district has not yet selected a new board president.


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