After CBS Colorado story, phone company will negotiate better landline service for mountain communities
Some move to rural Colorado because they want to disconnect, but when the wind starts blowing like it did Tuesday, and trees spark on power lines, those same people probably still want to reach first responders like Lefthand Fire Chief Chris O'Brien.
With a spotty cell signal in the Boulder County mountains, many rely on the phone company Lumen for landline coverage. But when the power goes out, O'Brien says so do the phone lines.
"They've got no way to communicate out if they're in the case of an emergency, whether it's 911, fire or medical problem," O'Brien went on to say, "Any sort of backup power that they [Lumen] can provide, like generators, we expect them to do that, because technically, we're not allowed into their equipment."
O'Brien explained that at certain points where phone and internet lines come into the area, Lumen also has backup battery systems for when the power goes out. However, Lumen says that inconsistent power can shorten a battery's life, and O'Brien says theirs goes out a half hour after the power does. This leaves many in the area unable to reach 911 in an emergency and is part of the reason why O'Brien staffs his main fire station 24/7.
"We have had people stop by the station when we do have power outages," O'Brien said, "The time it takes for them to be notified by their neighbor that they need help, recognize, then travel to the station, get us, then for us to travel back, we're stacking, 10 to 20 minutes on a call that could be handled in a minute and a half, two minutes, if there were telephones."
As a member of the Boulder County Firefighters Association, O'Brien says Lefthand isn't the only fire district in Boulder County that's had trouble getting Lumen to fix the batteries.
Some of the more than 15 departments and districts O'Brien listed include Allenspark, Big Elk Meadows, Pinewood Springs, Indian Peak, Lefthand, Jamestown, Boulder Mountain, and Gold Hill.
"A lot of communities that can't call 911," O'Brien said.
CBS Colorado first reported on this issue in September, highlighting some of the concerns in Gold Hill. At the time, Gold Hill's Fire Chief explained Lumen would not answer requests for service to the backup batteries, even when they offered to pay for a new one themselves.
O'Brien says after our story aired, alongside work from local legislators, Lumen is now coming back to the negotiating table for a solution.
Sharing a statement in part that they have been in contact with stakeholders for the past few weeks and, "We take this matter seriously and look forward to continuing to work with the local agency and power companies to explore safe and practical technical solutions..."
Lumen says their next meeting is scheduled for this week, and O'Brien says he will be there.
"There are people out here in the county and throughout the mountain west that want to help," O'Brien said, "This conversation does need to happen, and it needs to happen now."