Situation Report 2006-16m
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: 1700 hrs, 1 Jan 07
Event Type: Blizzard
Situation: The JEFFCO Incident Management Team (IMT) arrived on the incident and tied in with the Colorado Division of Emergency Management (CDEM) Regional Field Manager (RFM) for the South and Southeast Regions. The Incident Command Post (ICP) was established in Lamar at the Division of Wildlife warehouse (old National Guard Armory). They initially set up telephone communication and computer network. A conference call was immediately conducted with personnel in the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC). Initial courses of action were agreed to and the RFM and IMT began contacts with the counties to assess the situation.
The SEOC personnel began to line up resources for deployment to the incident (primarily Baca, Prowers, Bent, Las Animas, and Otero Counties). Seven Alpine Rescue Snowmobile Teams with sleds and two large Jefferson County Snowcats were dispatched to Lamar.
Division of Fire Safety personnel in the SEOC contacted Mary Lou Chapman of the Rocky Mountain Food Industry Association (303.424.7207 or 303.478.8587). She in turn contacted local grocers. Most of the grocery stores in the area are supplied by Affiliated Foods of Amarillo (Grocery Delivery Dispatcher Manager - Rich Simms @ 806.372.3851). Mary reported that perishable food stuffs are depleted in the heavily effected area and grocers typically only keep a four day supply of food on the shelves. Milk and dairy products pretty much gone, canned milk going fast. Affiliated Foods has six trucks that are going to leave tomorrow and start delivering food.
Additional National Guard assets, vehicles and personnel, are being mobilized to support the incident. Four Blackhawks and two Hueys will arrive in Lamar 2 Jan 07 to begin loading and dropping hay to designated sites. In addition a Chinook from the Oklahoma National Guard has been requested through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). This aircraft will arrive 2 Jan 07 at Pueblo Airport and begin hay dropping operations. A Guard Liaison Aviation Officer will arrive on site 2 Jan 07 to assist in the air operation. Ground vehicles will also be used to transport hay to outlaying areas as snow removal operations permit. The Colorado Department of Agriculture liaison to the SEOC estimates there are 360,000 head of cattle in the incident area.
Human life and safety remain priority for this operation. There are small communities and isolated homes without power. Incident personnel, CDOT, Guard, and the IMT are working with local power suppliers to gain access to areas in order to restore power. Reports indicate that a mile of power poles are down near Holly, east of Lamar. Over snow vehicles are being dispatched to assist snow bound families. CDEM, Guard, and IMT personnel are prepared to set up a 100 person shelter in the old Armory in Lamar.
The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) flew the incident area again today. Pilots also flew Cheyenne County at the request of the sheriff. Two snow covered vehicles were found at an intersection and reported to the sheriff. They turned out to be abandoned. Today, the Guard conducted 75 life/safety missions, primarily in the Baca County area.
The CDOT continues to make excellent progress on opening roads in the incident area. Highways 287, 160, and 109 are priorities. On 2 Jan 07, snow removal equipment from the City and County of Pueblo will arrive on the incident to start clearing secondary roads.