SITUATION REPORT 2006-15c
December Blizzard
Previous SITREPs posted at: http://dola.colorado.gov/dem/operations/sitreps/sitreps.htm
Press Releases posted at: http://dola.colorado.gov/dem/Press/press_releases.htm
Report Date: December 22, 2006
Event Type: Blizzard
Situation: At noon, December 22 nd, the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) has closed down.
The National Guard support missions will close at 1:00pm today.
DEM is working with FEMA to see if the state can qualify for a Presidential declaration. From each of the jurisdictions, we need your preliminary cost estimates by January 5 th, 2007, sent to Bill Archambault (fax 720-852-6750). DEM is encouraging everyone to continue to refine their detailed costs in an effort to be prepared if Colorado receives a Presidential declaration. If that occurs, there is a thirty-day window to submit all paperwork to FEMA. This is a reminder that this process needs to move through the State system. This will apply to both Category A (debris removal) and B (emergency protective measures).
In order to facilitate this process, each jurisdiction is required to issue their own disaster declaration, to be faxed to DEM 720-852-6750. The Disaster Handbook information can be found at http://dola.colorado.gov/dem/publications/DisasterHandbook.pdf
Most state and federal highways are being cleared and are generally considered passable, even though there remain several areas of hazardous driving. Local jurisdictions are making progress on side streets.
Shelters: Most shelters across the state are starting to close as conditions improve.
Disaster Declarations issued (mostly verbal at this point); Adams County, Aurora, Baca County, Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Elbert County, Elizabeth, Federal Heights, Ft. Collins, Ft. Morgan, Kiowa, Logan County, Loveland, Morgan County, Park County, Simla, Sterling, Weld County, and Yuma County.
Weather Report : Saturday (December 23 rd) will be chilly, with early flurries. By afternoon the sunshine returns, but temperatures will be right around freezing. By Christmas Eve, Sunday, we can expect upper 30s and lots of snow for Santa and his Sleigh. By Monday, Christmas Day, we'll be back in the upper 30s with lots of sunshine. By the middle of next week, the 40s will return, with a fairly normal winter weather pattern.
Agencies Involved: Adams County EOC, American Red Cross, Arapahoe County EOC, Aurora EOC, Baca County EOC, Bent County EOC, Brighton OEM, Broomfield City and County EOC, CDOT, Colorado Springs EOC, Colorado State Patrol, Commerce City OEM, Crowley County EOC, Denver City and County EOC, DMVA, Colorado Division of Fire Safety, Douglas County EOC, El Paso County EOC, Huerfano County EOC, Kiowa County EOC, Larimer County EOC, Logan County EOC, Loveland, Pueblo County EOC, Colorado RACES, Teller County EOC, Weld County EOC, Westminster EOC.
Misc. Info: CDOT has a website where they post the up-to-the-minute road conditions. http://www.cotrip.org, the upper left hand field is Travel Information, select the 1st entry, “Road Conditions.” This page has a scroll down bar, Select a Report to View, which will give you a more customized report tailored to your Regions.
Since this has been has awhile since the state has experienced an emergency of this nature, DEM is requesting jurisdictions conduct their own after action report (DEM is doing the same) to identify what went well and what we need to improve upon, especially since winter officially starts today.