RBC | On Aug. 3, the Rio Blanco County Commissioners passed a resolution declaring a local disaster emergency for the Elk Fire southeast of Meeker. Later that day, Gov. Jared Polis verbally declared a disaster emergency for the fire. On Aug. 5, Polis expanded the order to include the Lee Fire and signed an executive order authorizing the Colorado National Guard to help with suppression.
“The purpose of declaring a disaster is just to make resources available to support an incident,” said Micki Trost, strategic communications director with the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (CDHSEM). “Every single event is different.”
Disaster declarations aren’t based on a set number or threshold. They are issued when local agencies exceed their capacity to respond. For example, a recent investigation at a Pueblo mortuary also prompted an emergency declaration.
At the state level, a disaster declaration activates Colorado’s emergency operations plan. That allows CDHSEM to coordinate 26 state agencies and free up funding, staff and procurement processes.
“We can’t activate without a declaration,” Trost said. “It doesn’t mean the world is coming to an end. It gives access to resources.”
For wildfires, the Colorado Division of Fire Protection and Control works with federal agencies and county sheriffs to decide when an incident becomes state-managed. From there, a national system supplies needed resources.
Response typically escalates from local aid to neighboring help, then to state and federal support. Emergency operations centers handle evacuations, shelter, utilities, food assistance and recovery efforts.
Recovery includes surveying damage to determine whether to request federal assistance. Trost said the acting administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) visited Meeker two weeks ago to view infrastructure damage firsthand.
To qualify for federal aid, damages must exceed a calculated threshold. Documented survey data, excluding insured losses, is used to calculate damages before being submitted to the governor’s office.
If approved by the governor, a request goes to FEMA. “We don’t want to throw together a request because if we don’t do it right the first time, it will be rejected,” Trost said.
Federal assistance can include Small Business Administration loans, U.S. Department of Agriculture programs and other support. But Trost emphasized the importance of insurance.
“The fastest and best route for recovery is through your insurance,” she said. “The purpose of federal disaster programs is not to make you whole. It’s to get you to a safe place.”
Large disasters, such as the 2013 Front Range floods, can take years to recover from. “We typically see anywhere from five to 10 years we still have significant recovery projects going on,” Trost said. Most aid is reimbursed after projects are completed.
She urged residents to provide information if asked. “The surveys are very important for the county and the state to advocate for the right recovery programs. We don’t want to miss anything.”
