Summit County emergency alerts go through updates while still fighting Colorado geographical challenges
Officials in Summit County are making some changes to how the county sends out emergency alerts. County leaders acknowledge that things have been a little bumpy in the past for people counting on those messages, for public safety issues as well as weather and traffic situations. But there's a reason those teams say it's harder to manage in the mountains than in a community on Colorado's Front Range.
Colorado resident Darilyn Gallegos said she was driving on Highway 9 between Green Mountain Reservoir and Silverthorne last week when she drove up on a car engulfed in flames. It's the kind of situation she says she desperately needs to be warned about with emergency messaging.
"We're not all lucky enough to live in the same town that we work in," Gallegos said. "Travel is a big part of mountain living."
With ski season approaching, her concerns are mounting.
"I'm concerned about like, if we're going to have to spend another winter with no alerts," she said.
She compares her Summit County message alerts to those in Eagle County, which she said does a better job of keeping her informed when it comes to road closures and accidents, as well as conditions.
Part of the problems that are slated to be tackled, according to Summit County 911 Director Michael Berry, is a combination of spotty cell service and the risk of "message fatigue."
"Your phone has to be able to see a cellphone tower that has been designated for that region," Berry explained. "Unfortunately, in the mountainous region like this, people are going in and out of cellphone coverage all day."
To avoid overwhelming residents with irrelevant notifications, the county has historically sent out county-wide alerts. However, a new, more targeted system is in the works.
"We are working on more geographically targeted messaging," Berry explained.
The goal is to be more judicious with alerts to prevent people from becoming desensitized to important safety messages.
The new platform, which was introduced in May, will allow for more precise messaging. For example, if you're within a certain region, you'll get one message, while those outside the region will receive a different, targeted message in relation (like "avoid this Silverthorne neighborhood, gas leak in progress.")
For residents like Gallegos, who often have only one way to get to their destination, she's mainly focused on getting from point A to B and knowing if there's an issue along the way.
"More often than not, there's only one way in and one way out to the final destination," she said. "When Highway 9 is closed, I have no way to get home unless I want to go hours around."
Summit County officials encourage everyone to sign up for the new alert system to ensure they receive timely and relevant information. You can register for SC Alerts and find more information on the official Summit County Emergency Alerts web page.
