Emergencies such as Wildfires, Flooding and other natural disasters can occur at any time, day or night. The Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office is in need of your assistance to better protect lives, and ask that you take time to plan and prepare for an event that would require evacuation from your home safely if the
need would ever arise.

Everyone can help by pre-planning and being prepared by considering the following proven steps:

• Watch the weather reports and be prepared during daily activities in all seasons of the year.
• Prepare a Plan now on where you could move and store your valuable property such as vehicles, recreational vehicles, trailers, firearms, and farm equipment in the event of a Pre-Evacuation Order.
• Provide the Sheriff or Emergency Manager of locations where mobility assistance would be needed.
• Prepare a Plan on how and where you could move any livestock or other farm animals and pets.
• Prepare a “Go Bag” that should contain any medications, medical equipment, important and valuable documents for every person and child living in the home.
• Prepare an emergency bag for your vehicle that contains first aid, water and shelter material.

In the case of an emergency evacuation order, you will be given information and directions of where the check-in site is located so that all persons that were residing within an evacuated area can be identified and accounted for. Information will be provided on where emergency shelters for people, pets and livestock are located within Montezuma County.

Being prepared, especially during wildfire season, can save lives and property. Taking advantage of available assistance in mitigating your property by developing defendable space for your home from fire is another important step of planning and preparation.

Thank you for your cooperation and assistance

Steven D. Nowlin, Sheriff
Montezuma County, Colorado