Since 2020, calls to 911 in Colorado Springs for lift assist have nearly doubled and it comes at an increasing cost for the community."A lift assist call is somebody falling and they can't get up," Lt. Todd Gripentrog with the C olorado Springs Fire Department said, the majority of them are just somebody either that's working through a disability or an elderly citizen, that that is just unable to get themselves up off the ground, so they call us.In other cases, those lift assist calls can be someone needing to be moved from the bathroom to a chair."We're just seeing an aging population overall, with the baby boomers and stuff, and so I think they're just they don't have anybody else to call. Their families aren't necessarily around, health care is a big issue for people these days," Gripentrog said.Not only is El Paso Countys population aging, according to the state demography office, but theyre also choosing to age in place, or stay at home.They've got a lot more independence and may not have loved ones in the home around them. So if they were to fall, it can be a scary situation because they don't know how long you know they may be there," Kalee Nappo, Fire and Life Safety Educator with CSFD said.In 2020, there were 1,567 calls for lift assist, in 2025 that number was 3,051. It comes with an operational cost of more than $1.7 million.Lift assist calls are not unique to CSFD, across the country other fire departments have started charging for lift assist calls, specifically to assisted living facilities. The argument is that they have the staffing on hand to handle calls and should not be relying on fire departments.In Decatur, Ill. The city implemented a $500 for commercial assisted living facilities. It saw lift assist calls drop by 60%.In Colorado Springs, the highest number of lift assist calls were at private homes and independent living facilities, not assisted. Theres concern over the impact it has to emergency management.It does put a lot of strain on our crews when they're having to go, it takes 2 to 3 people to do a proper lift assist without causing injury to those that are assisting, Nappo said.CSFD is focused on prevention, the goal is not to stop people from calling 911 altogether, but to give people, specifically seniors the tools they need to prevent falls and only call 911 in true emergencies.If you fall and you hit your head or there's bleeding, there's clearly a reason to call 911," Nappo said.CSFD goes to various assisted living facilities and nursing homes to educate the community on proper uses for 911 and fall prevention.The prevention piece is something Jason DeaBueno, CEO of Silver Key Senior Services has seen first-hand.Many people say, you know, the whole the whole joke of I fall, and I can't get up really took on a little bit of a stigma for older adults," DeaBueno said, I think what people really experience is, is that does this mean that I'm not going to be able to stay at home any longer? Does this mean that I'm not going to be in my place and place of comfort?"Silver Key and CSFD both have fall prevention programs. For Silver Key and CSFD it includes going in to peoples homes. Silver Key also focuses on other efforts, pointing people to classes like chair yoga to try and build strength, and teaching people how to fall."One of the key pieces about being able to stay independent is to be able to stay flexible, being able to stay in your own home means that you can manage your balance as appropriately as possible," DeaBueno said. ...read more read less