Colorado Springs City, County Officials Prepare For Winter, Offer Resources For Residents To Do The Same

From the City of Colorado Springs:

October 29, 2020

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – City, County staff and partner agencies met today to discuss the 2020-2021 winter weather outlook, response procedures for snow control, and homeless outreach efforts. The virtual workshop, hosted by the Pikes Peak Regional Office of Emergency Management, also focused on responding to stranded vehicles/motorists and how the global pandemic may affect response procedures.

The City and County are consolidating their Offices of Emergency Management in an effort to optimize staff resources, establish a single point of contact during major incidences and enhance communication both during and after an event. The new office, the Pikes Peak Regional Office of Emergency Management (PPR-OEM) will support operations during a disaster or emergency in El Paso County and Colorado Springs.

Because disaster knows no jurisdictional boundaries, we can most efficiently prepare for an emergency and respond to one by coordinating our efforts on a regional basis. The establishment of the PPR-OEM will allow the county and the city to more effectively coordinate and assist first responders in an emergency as well as preparing the government and the community for a disaster., also focused on responding to stranded vehicles/motorists and how the global pandemic may affect response procedures.

“When bad weather strikes, our many partners come together to help our community weather the storm. Reviewing our plans and procedures together better prepares us respond to significant weather events. At the same time, we remind residents that winter is at our doorstep and preparing our vehicles, homes and families offers peace of mind for the winter ahead,” said Jim Reid, Director of the Pikes Peak Regional Office of Emergency Management (PPROEM).

Personal preparedness:

El Paso County and the City of Colorado Springs will share weekly winter safety tips and resources on their Twitter and Facebook feeds on behalf of the PPROEM.

The City’s Winter Weather Hub helps residents prepare to weather the winter storms at: www.ColoradoSprings.gov/WinterWeather. This webpage provides information about preparing the home/vehicle for winter, snow plow routes and maps, and what to do before, during and after a winter storm.

Residents may also visit El Paso County’s neighborhood preparedness webpage that includes their winter weather preparedness guide at https://publicworks.elpasoco.com/office-emergency-management/ready-resil... (link is external).

New arrivals to El Paso County should visit www.weather.gov/safety/winter (link is external) to become familiar with the National Weather Service watch and warning definitions as well as winter safety procedures.

This press release was produced by the City of Colorado Springs. The views expressed here are the author’s own.