Wildfire Report Finds Colorado Officials Need More Training

Colorado Springs officials under-trained to deal with large scale logistics
An entire neighborhood burns near the foothills of Colorado Springs, Colo. on Tuesday, June 26, 2012. A towering wildfire destroyed dozens of houses overnight, though the intensity of the blaze kept officials Wednesday from being able to fully assess the damage to the state's second-largest city. (AP Photo/The Denver Post, Helen H. Richardson)
Published Tuesday, October 23, 2012

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — A review of Colorado Springs' response to the deadly Waldo Canyon Fire found that city officials and employees were under-trained in dealing with the logistics of such a large disaster.

Read the Report
Waldo Canyon Fire, Initial After Action Report


The initial after action report released by the city on Tuesday said that staff would need more training for years to come. The Gazette (http://tinyurl.com/8b6qmvd ) also said that the report suggested the city come up with a way to provide important information immediately to police, firefighters and sheriff's deputies.

The fire started June 23. Three days later it spread into western Colorado Springs, where it destroyed over 340 homes and killed two people.

An emergency notification system failed to send thousands of evacuation notices during the fire. A report on the failure is expected in early November.

___

Information from: The Gazette, http://www.gazette.com

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

Comment Now: Post Your Thoughts & Comments on This Story

Associated Press
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Wildfire Report Finds Colorado Officials Need More Training

Colorado Springs officials under-trained to deal with large scale logistics
An entire neighborhood burns near the foothills of Colorado Springs, Colo. on Tuesday, June 26, 2012. A towering wildfire destroyed dozens of houses overnight, though the intensity of the blaze kept officials Wednesday from being able to fully assess the damage to the state's second-largest city. (AP Photo/The Denver Post, Helen H. Richardson)