From the beginning of the Fourmile Canyon Fire in 2010, mountain communities began rallying together with the intention of helping our friends and neighbors. As homes in Gold Hill were evacuated, town officials in Nederland scrambled to provide the much-needed services to those residents in desperate need of information who found themselves without a place to stay.
Right after the 6,500-acre fire was contained, it became painfully clear that residents who still live in the burn area, are in danger of another imminent disaster: flash flooding and debris flows. Geographically, the Town of Gold Hill is in a good position to support our downhill neighbors located in both Four Mile and Sunshine canyons. Residents in these areas have been instructed to climb to safety during rain events.
Today, more than a year a half after the fire, our mountain communities are working towards creating a better preparedness plan. The protocol that we are currently developing outlines in detail how to support one another in the case of future disasters.
As part of this process, officials from every small town West of Boulder have formed an Inter Mountain Alliance organization, with the intention to design both individual and community preparedness plans. Our organization contacted Boulder County’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) requesting supplies to support a citizen-based response designed to work hand in hand with local emergency personnel. The goal of our initiative is to provide a warm safe place for residents as they regroup and gain information during a flood event.
As the mayor of Gold Hill, I am proud to say that our town received a 6×6 Tough Shed that will house the equipment necessary to create a temporary Safe Site. The same initiative is in place in our neighboring communities of Ward and Sunshine.
In collaboration with our volunteer fire agencies, the Office of Emergency Management and local citizens, we are paving the way to mountain community preparedness!
Big thank you to the Boulder County Transportation Department for delivering the ToughShed.
Post Written by Amy E. Hardy
