Cañon City committee explores community resiliency measures after Aspen Acres fire

Cañon City’s Public Safety and Quality of Life committee met for a brainstorming session to consider a new community resiliency work stream that would coordinate wildfire mitigation, emergency notification outreach and plans to assist vulnerable residents during evacuations.

Sandra Sage, a resident who said she previously worked with the Texas Department of Public Safety, urged the city to adopt a proactive approach used elsewhere — “adaptation” or resiliency committees that plan for wildfire, flood and drought risks rather than always reacting after disasters. "I came up with this idea because I was looking around at other cities … where people are starting to have what they call adaptation committees," Sage said.

The discussion ranged across several recurring themes. Rex Brady, who represents municipal parks, described the city’s move to Rain Bird iQ controllers and said the city has about 47 irrigation controllers across parks and major sites, which has reduced water use and staff time. Committee chair Sarah McCuller pointed to fiscal reasons for mitigation: “For every dollar invested in mitigation and resilience efforts, it leads to about $6 in savings down the road,” she said.

Members flagged site-specific issues that would shape any resiliency plan. City staff noted the cemetery covers roughly 56 acres, of which about 45 acres are in perpetual care — raising questions about charter obligations for long-term maintenance and whether that duty should be revisited. Participants also discussed the nearby Aspen Acres fire and the possibility that fires could threaten a nearby Superfund/radioactive site; Sandra Sage asked whether the city or first responders have radiation monitors and trained personnel to assess releases.

Emergency notification and public information were central topics. Committee members said local enrollment in the county’s Everbridge alert system is low and proposed ongoing marketing through block captains and neighborhood watch groups, targeted sign-up workshops (bring-your-phone sessions), and partnering with schools and volunteer groups to help residents register. "If you're not enrolled in Everbridge, you completely missed that very time-sensitive notification," a participant said.

The group explored ways to help residents remove combustible material: prior city programs provided dumpsters or staffed brush collection events that reduced fuel near homes. Members proposed repeating monitored drop-off events or chipping days, possibly staffed with a mix of paid staff and volunteers or community-service crews. They also discussed testing and safe reuse of wood chips and the budget implications of staffed events.

On evacuation planning, the committee reviewed responsibilities for senior living and assisted-living facilities, noting licensed facilities are required to have evacuation plans coordinated with emergency management. Members suggested creating a voluntary sign-up registry for residents who would likely need extra assistance during an evacuation — while recognizing questions about who would house and maintain such a list and the police department’s capacity to manage it.

The committee agreed not to spin the idea into a new independent board immediately. Instead, members favored treating resiliency as a work stream under the Public Safety and Quality of Life committee until the scope and staffing needs are clearer. Action items included asking the city public information officer to prepare digestible public summaries, comparing the city’s emergency plan with the county’s, and inviting the county emergency manager to a future meeting. The group tentatively scheduled a follow-up meeting for Friday, Aug. 21 at 9 a.m. and asked staff to publicly notice the next session.

The session closed with an emphasis on using existing community assets — faith groups, the Golden Age Center, schools and volunteers — to broaden outreach and practical support for mitigation and evacuation readiness. The committee adjourned with staff assigned to gather plans and contacts and to return with a proposed agenda and outreach plan at the next meeting.