If you or someone close to you has a disability or requires special assistance, please call the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office at 303-271-0211. In an emergency, always dial 911.

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

This blog is INACTIVE.

This emergency blog will only be activated when an incident takes place within Jefferson County, Colorado that requires additional public information support.  Prior to the activation of the blog, information regarding incidents can be found via the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office website and twitter account.

If you have not already done so please consider taking the following steps to stay connected:

Sign up for Emergency Notifications with LookoutAlert.co
Follow us on Twitter
Create a safety profile to aid dispatchers at Smart911.com
Visit our emergency management pages for more information
Save our emergency blog to your favorites
To create your 72-hour emergency kit, visit this PDF
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Thursday, December 19, 2013

#JeffcoFlood Integrated Social Media Strategy: Statistics and Archives

In September of 2013 the Colorado front range was hit with devastating flooding.  On September 12th, 2013 the Jefferson County Type III Incident Management Team (IMT) was activated to support flood response and recovery efforts.  Prior to the activation of the IMT, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) maintained communications with the public using a variety of tools to include the JCSO Twitter and Facebook sites along with the JCSO Emergency Blog.  After the IMT was activated the JCSO Public Information Officer (PIO) unit was bolstered by additional support from the IMT.   By the end of the incident 10 different PIOs from the Sheriff’s Office and/or the IMT played an important role in sharing information with the public.

Sharing information with the Jefferson County communities affected by the flooding presented a unique challenge.  By and large the media was covering the greater devastation and fatalities that had occurred farther north in the areas of  Boulder, Longmont, Estes Park and other regions.  The end result was that the IMT PIO unit essentially used social media tools, in conjunction with innovative tools on the Emergency blog to communicate directly with the public.  To assist with this effort the Jefferson County Virtual Operations Support Team (JeffcoVOST) was activated for the first time since its creation.

The IMT activation lasted over a week.  During that time the IMT PIO unit posted 116 Blog posts, 155 Facebook posts and 378 Tweets.  Facebook and Twitter posts were published using the hashtags #CCCF (Coal Creek Canyon Flood) and #JeffcoFlood.  

Below are some basic statistics and links that highlight how social media played a pivotal role in the release of information to the public:

Twitter Statistics (via Crowdbooster, Rowfeeder and Tags 5.0)

Total Number of Tweets: 378
Total Mentions: 955
Total Retweets: 1936
Total Impressions (@JeffcoSheriffCo Posts): 8,917,780
Rate of Responses to Direct Inquiries: 100% (per ProjectEPIC research)
Total Posts to Hashtag: 4392 by 1476 unique Twitter accounts
Follower Count at End of Incident:  6659
Followers Gained During the Incident: 970

Google Map         
Total Views: 1,880,933
Direct Link: http://goo.gl/maps/o0Yp5

Emergency Blog  
Total Number of Posts: 116
Blog PageViews: 123,417

Facebook Statistics (via Crowdbooster)
Facebook Posts: 155
Facebook Impressions: 1,077,744
Facebook Post Likes: 3610
Facebook Post Shares: 4494
Facebook Comments: 949
Facebook Page Likes: 1766
Facebook  Page Likes  End of Incident: 4653
               
Links to Archives and Additional Statistics

Jefferson County Emergency Blog
Jeffco Blog Tabs: Recovery Resources               

JCSO Google Map

@JeffcoSheriffCo Tweets
Hashtag Analysis via Rowfeeder
Mentions of @JeffcoSheriffCo
Jefferson County Sheriff Facebook Page

Journalism Redefined Conference
Shortly after the September 2013 floods the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office PIO unit participated in a ‘Journalism Redefined’ conference, hosted by the University of Denver.  During the conference the PIOs discussed how social media has ‘redefined’ journalism and how social media was used specifically during the 2013 floods. You can view the recording of the conference by visiting: http://video.du.edu/video/hashtag-journalism-redefined---session-4.  During the presentation a Storify was used to share key highlights and takeaways.  You can view the Storify by visiting:  http://storify.com/JCSO/jeffcosheriffco-on-jeffcoflood-cccf.



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Thursday, September 19, 2013

Final #JeffcoFlood Blog Post: Recovery and Resilience

Jefferson County communities are moving forward in an attitude of recovery and resilience.


The Jefferson County Type III Incident Management Team (IMT) has been managing the response to the #JeffcoFlood for the last week. The primary objective of this team was to manage the county's response and to lead the county into the recovery phase.

Jefferson County communities are showing their resilience as they quickly bounce back from the damages inflicted by the #JeffcoFlood.  As we enter the recovery phase the role of the Jefferson County Type III IMT will decrease as regular Jefferson County departments take the lead on further recovery efforts.

Residents affected by the #JeffcoFlood can now receive information directly from the county via http://jeffco.us/disaster-recovery/.  This site will take the place of the JCSO Emergency Blog.  As such this will be the final #JeffcoFlood update.

The #JeffcoFlood Google map will no longer be updated.  We will maintain the map in its current state (9/18) so that it can viewed for historical purposes.  For a list of current, live, road closures please visit http://jeffco.us/road-and-bridge/.




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FEMA Individual Assistance for #JeffcoFlood has been Approved!

We have just received word that residents in Jefferson County are now eligible to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance.

Affected residents are encouraged to register with FEMA by visiting www.disasterassistance.gov or by calling (800) 621-3362

The phone number for registering your damaged home with Jefferson County is being deactivated. Affected residents need only to register their property with FEMA viawww.disasterassistance.gov or (800) 621-3362. 

Thank you to all of our Jefferson County residents who sent in photos of their damaged homes.  It was your photos and stories that helped you and your neighbors become eligible for FEMA's Individual Assistance.

As you register your home and begin the recovery phase please use the resources that the county has made available on its website: http://jeffco.us/disaster-recovery/
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Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Upper Bear Creek Road Open to RESIDENTS ONLY

Upper Bear Creek Road is now open to residents only.  Sheriff's deputies will be posted on the east and west ends of Upper Bear Creek to confirm residency.  Structural concerns regarding the bridge have been evaluated and resolved, allowing the bridge to re-open to local traffic only. 
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Individual Damage Reports and FEMA Individual Assistance

Damage assessments in the areas affected by the #JeffcoFlood are ongoing.  We continue to ask the public to send in their photos of damage to their homes (email jeffcosheriff@gmail.com or jeffcoflood@gmail.com).  If you have believe your home is damaged you should also leave your information on our recorded line.  Please leave your name, address, phone number and description of damage.  The number to call is 303-271-4930.

 As of today, 9/18/13, Jefferson County residents are not eligible for Individual Assistance from FEMA.  

Earlier this week Congressman Perlmutter placed the following statement on his website:
"President Obama has declared a Major Disaster Declaration for four counties in Colorado including Adams, Boulder, Larimer and Weld. This declaration extends FEMA's Individual Assistance programs to assist individuals in their recovery from the disaster. This means Adams County residents may now apply for federal assistance for damage and loss incurred as a result of flooding, severe storms and landslides that began September 11, 2013. Although Jefferson County is not currently included in the individual assistance program, residents are still encouraged to register online in case the declaration is expanded to include Jefferson County. There are ongoing damage assessments by officials from the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to evaluate additional areas to be included in the declaration."
We encourage Jefferson County residents to go ahead and register with FEMA.  If you register with FEMA, however, please also remember to register with Jefferson County (via the number 303-271-4930).  This very important not only because it allows County and Federal officials to maintain similar records.  More importantly, these damage reports will greatly aid officials as they work to get residents of Jefferson County approval for FEMA Individual Assistance.

To learn how to apply for FEMA aid please visit: http://www.disasterassistance.gov/

The Air National Guard will be flying County, State and Federal officials over the #JeffcoFlood region today, 9/18/13, as part of the continued effort to assess damages and further pursue FEMA Individual Assistance.
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Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Recovery and Resilience in Jefferson County

Click on the images to view the three different facebook photo albums.  
Photos were taken by  Amber Luttrell, Community Relations Manager

Jefferson County communities are continuing to recover from the #JeffcoFlood.  Today, September 17, 2013, public information officers with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office accompanied emergency personnel as they rescued three families in Coal Creek Canyon (Highway 72).

  

The rescue of the families included the rescue of their furry companions.  The first family rescued was accompanied by three Irish Wolfhounds named Tully, Pi & Oscar.  The second family brought with them 1 Black Labrador Retriever puppy named Gauge.  The final family carried out their Maltese, named Zoey, and a cat named Eleanor.  These families and their pets had not left their homes in days. 

  
Boots On The Ground - Emergency Response Personnel

During the rescue the residents shared some of their stories.  One family explained how, due to the gas outage in the area, the three families could not cook on their stoves so they gathered together to share crock-pot, microwave, and bbq recipes.  One of the rescued residents also shared how she and her daughter received moral support from other family members who had lived through Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. 

The pictures in these albums do not only chronicle the rescue that took place today in Coal Creek Canyon.   These pictures do not only show damages along Coal Creek Canyon.  These pictures do not only share the damage sustained to buildings in the area.  These pictures also show the resilience of our Jefferson County communities.

  
Coal Creek Canyon Damage

#JeffcoFlood #CCCF #Jeffco #JCSO
#CoFlood #Colorado Flood
#ColoradoStrong

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office would like to thank the families who provided their permission for these photos to be taken and shared.


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All Voluntary Evacuations Lifted in Jefferson County 9/17 5:20 PM

All level 1 (voluntary) evacuation orders in Jefferson County have been lifted. If you are returning to your home please exercise care and caution.  Should you need any assistance as you reoccupy home please consult the list of resources that are available on this Recovery Resources Spreadsheet.
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#JeffcoFlood Road Updates: 9/17 5 PM

Updates: 

 Upper Bear Creek Drive is now open to local residents.  There is a bridge located near 32034 Upper Bear Creek that is now closed (2.6 miles east of Evergreen).  This means that residents with an address of 31910 and lower must exit the area via Evergreen Parkway.  Residents with an address of 32034 and higher must exit through Witter Gulch (to Stagecoach Blvd or Squaw Pass).


In Kittredge, the bridge on Welch Ave, just south of Highway 74 has been closed due to structural concerns.  Residents can access the area through the other local bridges.

Golden Gate Canyon is open to all traffic.  Please continue to be aware of the emergency and construction traffic in the area. If you need to use Crawford Gulch Road be aware that intermittent closures may take place due to the need to provide road and bridge repair crews safe access to the area.


 Twin Spruce / Gap road is open but there is a heavy amount of construction traffic in the area.  Please avoid the area unless absolutely necessary.  Twin Spruce is closed at Burland Drive.

 Ongoing Closures:
Crescent Park in Upper Coal Creek Canyon is impassable.

 Highway 72 remains closed from Blue Mountain Drive to Pincliffe.

 Evergreen (74 and 73) remains open.

 Beaver Brook Canyon road remains impassable.  Watch http://www.co.clear-creek.co.us/Alertcenter.aspx for updates.

 Closures remain on Indiana between 120th and 72nd.

 We will update our google map when we receive definitive word that any of these closure have been lifted.  Please continue to exercise care as you drive in the affected areas.


View #JeffCoFlood Jefferson County Flood Information in a larger map
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Send us your Pictures of Home Damage in Jeffco

We are working to get aid to Jeffco residents who have damage to their homes due to the floods.  In order to do that, we need photos showing the damage.  We only want pictures of damaged homes... not roadways.  Please send your photos to jeffcosheriff@gmail.com.
 
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Jeffco Flood Update 9-17 9 a.m.

Damage assessment in the county is being hindered by limited access to many affected areas. Preliminary cost to Jefferson County infrastructure is estimated at $6,000,000.


  • Preliminary structural damage estimates are: 14 residences destroyed, 215 damaged and 5,805 threatened.  
  • 24 commercial properties have been damaged and 24 are threatened. It is unknown at this time if any commercial structures have been destroyed.35 minor structures have been destroyed, 57 damaged and 106 threatened. 

County and local officials will be going door to door to confirm property damage today. These individuals will have official identification.
Following is a summary of significant events in Jefferson County over the last 36 hours are headed by: An announcement that Jefferson County has received a Presidential disaster declaration from FEMA which will provide direct financial assistance to the county for infrastructure repair and direct costs of dealing with the flood emergency.

  •  Damage assessments and evaluations are proceeding. Anyone who needs to report property damage should call 303-271-4930.
  • Water service to 500 customers served by the Lookout Mountain Water Treatment Facility was affected by a severed water intake line. • Sandbagging efforts by the Colorado National Guard and local residents and first responders on the last night of heavy rains helped to mitigate more flood damage to the town of Evergreen. 
  • A preliminary meeting was held to discuss the rebuilding process between county officials and involved stakeholders
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#JeffcoFlood Road Update 9/17 6:30 AM - Golden Gate Canyon Open

Golden Gate Canyon is now open.

Crescent Park in Upper Coal Creek Canyon is impassable.

Twin Spruce / Gap road is open but there is a heavy amount of construction traffic in the area.  Please avoid the area unless absolutely necessary.



View #JeffCoFlood Jefferson County Flood Information in a larger map
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#JeffcoFlood Road Closures 9/17 AM

Update:

Golden Gate Canyon is now open.
Crescent Park in Upper Coal Creek Canyon is impassable.
Twin Spruce / Gap road is open but there is a heavy amount of construction traffic in the area.  Please avoid the area unless absolutely necessary.

*********

There are no new updates to the road closures around the #JeffcoFlood area.

Highway 72 remains closed from Blue Mountain Drive to Pincliffe.

Twin Spruce Gap Road (access to 119) remains open. (See www.coalcreekfirefd.org/blog)

Golden Gate Canyon remains closed from highway 93 to Robinson Hill.

Evergreen (74 and 73) remains open.

Upper Bear Creek remains closed.

Beaver Brook Canyon road remains impassable.  Watch http://www.co.clear-creek.co.us/Alertcenter.aspx for updates.

Watch for closures in and around Indiana between 120th and 72nd.

We will update our google map when we receive definitive word that any of these closure have been lifted.  Please continue to exercise care as you drive in the affected areas.



View #JeffCoFlood Jefferson County Flood Information in a larger map
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Monday, September 16, 2013

Mine Correction: The Pond is Fine

INFORMATION UPDATE: The Colorado Department of Public Health reports that the information regarding the tailing pond at Schwartzwalder Mine is incorrect. There has been no breach of the pond. There has been no contamination from the mine.
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Latest on State Highway Road Closures from CDOT

From the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT):
As you are aware, parts of our state are experiencing historic flooding with catastrophic damage to the transportation network. To say what has happened over the last week and over the weekend is unprecedented is an understatement.  As of today, we know that we have lost 30 state highway bridges, with damage to 20 more, and another 20 structures that can’t be reached for inspection.  As state elected officials, we would like to share with you the latest in our recovery work and where to find the up-to-date information on highway closures. 
Teams of Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) maintenance and engineering personnel worked through the weekend to assess infrastructure condition.  CDOT crews are continuing to evaluate infrastructure to ensure public safety and provide estimates on what lies ahead for the recovery and reconstruction.  Once conditions are safe, it will take several weeks to determine the actual extent and cost of damage to our highway system.   A special team from the Vermont Department of Transportation is already in Colorado to share lessons and best practices from their monumental recovery from Hurricane Irene.  In addition, CDOT is organizing regional meetings with local partners to determine the full extent of the impact from this historic disaster and to coordinate rebuilding efforts. Recovering from the flooding will be the biggest challenge in our 100 year history, and perhaps the biggest challenge CDOT will face in the next 100 years.
Below you will find links to the latest information we have regarding closures.  Please note that the closures below are only for state highways and interstates. Cities, counties and towns may have closed additional roads in their specific area.  For safety reasons, CDOT is recommending that travelers do not stop on the highways to view the water or roadway damage.
Get the latest Highway Flood information and check for updates

You can also find roadway and travel information at www.cotrip.org and on your mobile device with the CDOT Mobile App.  To download CDOT Mobile, simply text “CDOT” to 25827 or search CDOT Mobile in your App Store
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Thank you to our Jefferson County Animal Rescue Team

We have such great, wonderful, volunteers still working hard at caring for large animals displaced by rains and floods. Thanks to all J-CART (Jefferson County Animal Response Team) and Jefferson County Horse Council members. You guys rock!
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Clear Creek Closed in Golden 9/16 1:45PM

City of Golden, Colorado – Effective immediately, by order of the City of Golden Police Department will limit waterway activities on Clear Creek. The boundaries affected by the order extend from Grant Terry Park Bridge, mile marker 270 and eastward along the canyon through the city limits of Golden including Vanover Park. 

 Water activities prohibited by the order include all single-chambered air inflated devices such as belly boats, inner tubes and single chambered rafts, as well as “body-surfers” and swimming. Violators may be issued a summons for a class 2 petty offense, punishable by a fine of one hundred dollars. These restrictions will be strictly enforced in an effort to minimize the risk to those using the waterway. 

 Kayaks, whitewater canoes and multi-chambered professionally guided rafts and river boards are exempt, but are encouraged to observe extreme caution due to the safety concerns surrounding swift moving water and floating debris. All of the above users and occupants must have the use of a Type I, Type III, or Type V Coast Guard approved paddling life jacket and a water use designed helmet.

 These temporary water restrictions will remain in effect until further notice.

 William Kilpatrick

 Chief of Police

 http://www.cityofgolden.net/latest-news/clear-creek-closed-to-some-recreational-users/
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Alert from the City of Arvada: Schwartzwalder Mine Failure (UPDATED Information Posted Above)

Post by City of Arvada Government.
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Residents of the Lookout Mountain Water District - Drinking Water is Safe, Please Conserve

Updated/Correction Post: 9/16 3:30

Emergency crews have assessed the pipeline and determined that it is not yet damaged. The water is safe and potable.

**********
Original Post:

The main supply line to the Lookout Mountain water treatment facility has been damaged. Repairs to the line will take several days.

The Lookout Mountain Water District has enough water in their stored system to sustain the district at this time.  The water from the district is safe to drink.  Residents are simply asked to conserve their water usage to help ensure that their is enough water to sustain the district until the supply line can be repaired.

The affected area is North of I-70 to the face of Golden Gate Canyon and to the west of Mother Cabrini to Genesee exit.

For additional updates monitor http://WWW.lookoutmountainwaterdistrict.org or recorded line 303.526.2025.
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Monday morning Update 9-16 10 a.m.

There’s a break in the storm, but serious conditions continue in large parts of Jefferson County.


TODAY IS A DAY TO THINK SAFETY
  • There is an increased emphasis on damage assessment today. Private and commercial structures and public infrastructure has been compromised in northern portions of the county, Coal Creek Canyon, the Bear Creek drainages, Golden Gate Canyon and other areas.  Jefferson County or Incident Management personnel with official identification may be in affected areas to obtain property damage information.
  • The Colorado National Guard will be continuing with sandbagging efforts today in and above Evergreen.
  • The public is warned to never work near running water without a life jacket or other personal flotation device, even on their own property. Everyone should avoid fast-flowing water if at all possible.
  • Standing water continues to be a serious health danger. Feet and legs should be protected from exposure to flood water. Any cut or other skin break contacting flood water, especially standing water, can be a doorway for dangerous infection.  
See these links to the Jefferson County Public Health Department for detailed information on how to protect your health if you have been impacted by flooding:

Flood Fact Sheet 
Food and Water Safety
Food Service Establishments Disaster Handout

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