SITUATION REPORT 2006-16j

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: 1945 hours, 30 December 2006

Event Type: Blizzard

Situation: The southeast region continues to feel the effects of this week’s winter storm with several interstate, state, and county roads closed due to the weather conditions. Two area commands have been established; one in the South region and one in the Southeast region.

Reconnaissance flights are being staged now for flights scheduled to commence at 6am on December 31 st. Their mission will be to find stranded occupied vehicles and large herds of animals. Information will be relayed to the SEOC through the Civil Air Patrol base at Peterson CAP Operations.

Agriculture (ESF #11) - As resources become available, assistance may be provided. Requests should be made through local sheriff / EOCs. The state will attempt to assist via resource identification and coordination. Livestock location and general assessment will be a part of aerial surveillance scheduled to commence at 0600 31 Dec. Colorado. is in collaboration with USDA in trying to acquire federal declarations to assist in emergency response and individual producer recovery.

Current National Guard / Colorado State Patrol Missions

  • County Line Las Animas – stranded trucker on Colorado Road 160
  • Additional truckers / vehicles on Highway 287 near Springfield and Lamar
  • Workers stranded at hog farm north of the City of Holly ( Prowers County)
  • Five vehicles stranded near Kit Carson City ( Cheyenne County)
  • Stranded motorists highway 109 near mile marker 58-59
  • Trucker stranded highway 285 near mile marker 55
  • Vehicles broken down along highway 160 between Trinidad and Springfield
  • Stranded motorists north of Springfield on highway 287.
  • Highway 109, 2 miles south of Highway 50, semi-truck in ditch

Supply Missions

  • Red Cross shelter material being transported from Pueblo to La Junta
  • Baca County MREs
  • Bent County MREs
  • Las Animas County MREs
  • Prowers County MREs
  • Otero County MREs

Accident Alert:

  • Baca County Kiowa County
  • Cheyenne County Kit Carson County
  • Clear Creek County Lake County
  • Crowley County Larimer County
  • Custer County Las Animas County
  • El Paso County Otero County
  • Elbert County Park County
  • Fremont County Prowers County
  • Gilpin County Pueblo County
  • Huerfano County Summit County
  • Jefferson County Teller County

Highway and Road Closures and Restrictions:

  • CO 59 Holly – Lycan Adverse conditions
  • CO 86 Franktown – Limon Closed
  • US 160 Trinidad – Kansas State border Closed
  • US 385 Burlington – Cheyenne Wells Closed
  • US 40 Kit Carson – Kansas State border Closed
  • US 50 La Junta – Kansas State border Closed
  • US 94 Colorado Springs – US 287 Closed

Shelters Open: Twenty-five shelters are open with a current occupancy of 282, with a capacity of approximately 1,300.

Weather Report

Southeast Region A blizzard warning remains in effect until 6 am MST Sunday for Crowley, Otero, eastern Las Animas, Kiowa, Bent, Prowers, El Paso and Baca counties. A dangerous blizzard will affect the eastern plains today through early Sunday. Total snow accumulations will range between 15 to 30 inches. Blizzard conditions will continue across the plains of southeast Colorado through early Sunday. Visibilities were down to 1/4 of a mile in many locations and winds were gusting to 35 to 50 mph. Reports from the emergency official indicate snow drifts were in excess of 4 to 8 feet across Kiowa and Baca counties.

Agencies Involved: American Red Cross, ARES/RACES, Arvada OEM, Baca County EOC, Civil Air Patrol, Clear Creek EOC, Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado Division of Emergency Management, Colorado State Fire Chiefs Association, Colorado State Patrol, Cunningham Fire, Elbert County EOC, Otero EOC, Parker Fire, Prowers County EOC, Salvation Army,.

Requests for Assistance: Looking for any assistance regarding the availability of snow cats / snow mobiles that could be used to assist in search and rescue operations.

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 “Report to View”, which will give you a more customized report tailored to your Regions.

DEM Communications will be monitoring DTRS (800MHz), MAC 10 and MAC 11, MAC 9, and MAC 21. Adding National Law (NLEEC)(VHF) and State patrol Channel 3

WebEOC information: http://www.dem.state.co.us/eoc6/ Incident name Winter Storm Dec 28.

The State is still investigating the possibility of snow emergency public assistance declarations. We are encouraging every jurisdiction to keep track of their costs.