August 25, 2016 VOLUM E 128 | IS S UE 5 | 75¢
SEE SPECIAL CENTER SPREAD INSIDE THIS PAPER! A R A P A H O E C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
A publication of
LittletonIndependent.net
Littleton Adventist trains for disaster Drill tests regional response to mass-casualty incident
By Kyle Harding kharding@coloradocommunitymedia.com At 9:33 a.m., the incident response team at Littleton Adventist Hospital got the word: seven patients were en route from Denver International Airport. Less than 15 minutes later, a Colorado Army National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter touched down on the helipad in front of the hos-
pital’s emergency department, unloaded patients, and was gone. Luckily, they weren’t real patients — they were part of an Aug. 17 National Disaster Medical System exercise to test regional disaster response capabilities. Coordinated by the Department of Veterans Affairs and Eastern Colorado Health Care System, the exercise also tested 10 hospitals and five emergency medical services agencies throughout the Denver metro area, including Littleton Adventist and Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree. Training continues on Page 7
A Colorado Army National Guard Blackhawk helicopter briefly landed at Littleton Adventist Hospital on Aug. 17, unloading simulated patients as part of an area-wide disaster response exercise. Photo by Kyle Harding
School back in session at Runyon Classes return to elementary after a year of renovations By Kyle Harding kharding@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Dancers and musicians from 3 Margaritas brought flavor to the Western Welcome Week Grand Parade. Photo by Kyle Harding
Parade punctuates event By Kyle Harding kharding@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Littleton’s 88th Western Welcome Week concluded with the Grand Parade, with thousands of people lining Littleton Boulevard and Main Street to watch. The Aug. 20 parade had about
120 entries, coming from as far away as Pueblo. They included high school marching bands, pipe and drum bands, fire trucks, military re-enactors, veterans groups, sports mascots, political campaigns and dancing horses. After the parade, visitors had the opportunity to check out dozens of vendor booths
and a variety of entertainment as part of Festival Day. Front Range Antique Power Association joined the parade with a variety of old tractors, including a 1952 John Deer Model 60 owned by David Hutchinson, of Centennial.
After holding classes in a temporary space for a year, Damon Runyon Elementary School in Littleton was ready for the first day of school on Aug. 18. “Everyone is excited about being in a school that is ready for 21st-century learners,” Littleton Public Schools Superintendent Brian Ewert said. Runyon continues on Page 7
UNSUNG HEROES Long snappers for area football teams take their role seriously. Check out this story and others as we continue our fall sports previews on PAGE 22.
Parade continues on Page 5
GRAND OPENING S T R E E T S O F S O U T H G L E N N • T H U R S , AU G U S T 2 5
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