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July 17, 2014 VOLU M E 27 | I S S UE 35
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HighlandsRanchHerald.net D O U G L A S C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
A publication of
WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM
Teens ‘Rise Above’ Area students part of statewide anti-drug program By Jane Reuter
jreuter @coloradocommunitymedia.com
Boy Scout Troop 870 members Patrick Traynor, 11, left, and Alex Houser, 10, right, serve up snow cones at the July 9 Highlands Ranch Metro District Ice Cream Social at Civic Green Park. Despite some late-afternoon lightning, a slight drizzle and overcast skies, the annual Highlands Ranch Metro District Ice Cream Social still brought hundreds of people to Civic Green Park on July 9 to enjoy waffle cones, snow cones, live music, a firefighter demonstration and a chance to mingle with their neighbors. All proceeds from this year’s event went to the Highlands Ranch Park and Recreation Foundation, a nonprofit that works with the Metro District to preserve, enhance and advocate for the community’s parks, recreation, open space and urban forest projects.
PHOTOS BY RYAN BOLDREY
Emily Koontz, 9, and Claire Koontz, 4, pet a coyote pelt brought to the Metro District’s July 9 Ice Cream Social by Highlands Ranch Metro District Park Ranger Laura Lacerte, right.
Leo Bao, 13, gathers a scoop of strawberry ice cream for one of the hundreds of hungry people who waited in line at the July 9 event despite overcast conditions.
Two Douglas County teens were selected to serve as part of a new statewide drug-prevention peer group. Rock Canyon High School senior Sanju Shenoy and Highlands Ranch resident Skyler Kopit, a junior at Arapahoe High School, are among 24 Colorado high school Kopit students chosen for Rise Above Colorado’s Teen Action Council. Throughout the 201415 academic year, the students will work together and with their individual schools to help their peers with information on healthy lifestyles, the Shenoy impacts of drug use and resources. The 24 teens met for the first time in June. The program is an offshoot of the national nonprofit, The Partnership at Drugfree.org, which also oversees the Colorado Meth Project. While the Colorado Meth Project is known for its arresting, but very dark, messages about the dangers of methamphetamine use, Rise Above Colorado takes a different approach. “We wanted to re-create a campaign that was more aspirational and inspirational,” said program director Jonathon Judge, who said the program was
Teens continues on Page 6
County crews get hands dirty for wildfire training Employees learn how to draw fire lines to stop the spread of blazes By Mike DiFerdinando
mdiferdinando @coloradocommunitymedia.com When it comes to stopping the spread of wildfires, dirt can be as important as water. Douglas County spent a day cross-training its employees to help respond in the event of a wildfire by using bulldozers. On July 9, about a dozen certified members of the county’s heavy-equipment crew from the public works operations staff trained to hone their fire-line cutting skills. A firebreak, or fire line, is a gap in vegetation or other combustible material that acts as a barrier to slow or stop the progress of a bushfire or wildfire. Heavy machinery can be used to move dirt and sand to create a needed gap in vegetation to stop or slow the progress of a fire. The training took place at the Southern Public Works Operation facility, 11815 Spring Valley Road in Larkspur. The classroom portion of the training was led by Lt. Patrick Richardson of Castle Rock Fire and Rescue’s Wildland Team Coordinator. “The premise of the class was to teach these guys who already know how to use this
LEFT: A Douglas County worker spends the day honing his firefighting skills July 9 in Larkspur. ABOVE: Douglas County employees go through a daylong wildfire training with heavy equipment July 9 in Larkspur. Courtesy photos heavy machinery the finesse and the subtleties of being able to use it to create a fire line and stop and contain the spread of a fire without scaring the earth in the process,” Richardson said. “If we’re not careful with how we put out these fires, we can leave a big scar on the earth that will last for decades. These guys are great at what they do, but we have to teach them the difference between putting out a fire and repaving I-25.” The daylong training was included fireline safety, basic fire-line construction, simulated evolution, loading equipment trans-
ports, simulated dispatches and what chain of command is expected. “Douglas County and the rest of Colorado is continuing to improve the air resources to fight fires, but any pilot will tell you, air support helps but fires are put out on the ground,” Richardson said. While many think the use of heavy machinery is only needed in the case of large, quick-spreading wildfires, Richardson said that is not the case. “It doesn’t take a big fire to cause a lot of damage. If you have a 4-acre fire that’s back-
ing up to a subdivision, that small fire could easily take out 20 homes,” he said. Heavy machinery can also be used to protect other valuable assets like water resources. Richardson said that the training was a one-off exercise for now, but he would like to see it and other readiness exercises like it become more regular. “Most counties don’t do this kind of training, so we’re ahead of the game. It’s a wonderful use of taxpayer dollars and something that the whole Front Range benefits from,” Richardson said.