LARIMER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Justin E. Smith, Sheriff

Subject:           Larimer County Flooding Information Update

Date:               9/20/2013

Targeted rescues continued yesterday and a total of 8 people were rescued and brought to the Timberline Church evacuation center. Rescue operations remain a top priority; however, we are beginning a slow transition into the assessment/recovery mode for long term planning.

Residents only will now be allowed past the roadblock at Hwy 14 and County Road 29C (McMurray Ranch Road) to the roadblock at Hwy 14 and County Road 27 (Stove Prairie Road). Escorts and curfew have been discontinued.

LATEST INFORMATION

1. The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with multiple federal, state, county and local agencies as well as several charitable organizations, will be holding an evacuee informational meeting today, Friday, September 20th at 6:30 p.m.  This meeting will be held at the Budweiser Event Center, located at 5290 Arena Circle in Loveland, Colorado.
2. This meeting will be streamed live at www.cityofloveland.org/lovelandmeets and will also be streamed live to all evacuees in the Estes Park Conference Center at 101 South Saint Vrain.
3. There are 4 helicopters flying missions today, 3 agency helicopters and 1 National Guard helicopter, to help with rescue operations. There are 6 helicopters on stand-by at Buckley Air Force Base.
4. We are now estimating that approximately 367 residents have chosen to shelter in place and remain in their homes.
5. Search and Rescue Teams have completed searching 7,724 structures which is approximately 90% of the total number of structures in the flood area.
6. Total number of rescued as of Friday morning, September 20th is 1,191 people.
7. The number of unaccounted people is now 82. This does not mean that they are missing, it just means that they have not been contacted yet.
8. There are only three confirmed reports of missing/presumed dead. A 46-year-old Drake man, a 60-year-old woman and an 80-year old woman both from Cedar Cove. All three homes had been reported washed away.
9. A reminder to citizens: IT IS ILLEGAL to circumvent roadblocks, barricades or police tape either by bypassing them, moving them or using alternate routes to get into the area.  This applies to walking, biking or driving. Roads are not safe even if they appear to be.  It is dangerous to be on closed roads and bridges.  Violators will be ticketed.
10. The Larimer County Landfill is now accepting flood debris and waste from the recent flooding events.   For details on costs please refer to the website http://www.larimer.org/solidwaste
11. The Larimer County Humane Society is compiling a list of residents who have needs for animal rescue in evacuated areas.  Anyone with questions can call 970-226-3647, option #7.

HOW TO HELP

• Local Residents can call United Way 211 for to contact the Disaster Assistance Center (DAC) to volunteer, give donations, get shelter information and community information.  Non-local residents can call 1-866-485-0211 for the same information.
• The Larimer County Disaster Distribution Center is accepting donations and anyone wishing to donate there can go to 815 14th Street SW, Building #D, in Loveland, CO 80537 from the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office 2nd Annual Jailbreak 4-Mile Family Run/Walk will be held as planned on Saturday, September 21, 2013 at 9:00 a.m..  The event is to benefit the Child Advocacy Center (CAC); however, in addition to donations for the CAC, cash donations will be accepted for the Larimer County flood relief efforts during the event.

DISASTER ASSISTANCE CENTER AND DISTRIBUTION CENTER

• The Disaster Assistance Center (DAC) is now open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The DAC is located at 815 14th Street SW, Building #B (for Benefits), Loveland CO 80537.  The Disaster Assistance Center will have representatives from government agencies, insurance providers, health and human services, volunteer organizations, utility companies and more to answer questions.
• A limited number of free tetanus shots are available at the DAC today, September 19th from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• The Disaster Distribution Center is now open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and is available to anyone impacted by the Larimer County 2013 Flood.  The Distribution Center is located at 815 14th Street SW, Building #D (for Donations), Loveland, CO 80537.
• For all the information on both the Disaster Assistance Center and Distribution Center please see the website http://www.larimer.org/flooding2013/

EVACUATION AREAS/SHELTERS

• Red Cross Shelters have been set up in the following areas:

                        Thompson Valley School Administration Building in Loveland – 800 S. Taft Avenue

                        Estes Park Conference Center in Estes Park – 101 S. Saint Vrain

• Additionally there is a Shelter in Fort Collins at:

Timberline Church – 2908 S. Timberline Road

• The Ranch in Loveland is accepting large animals from evacuees for short term boarding only. Owners will be required to feed and care for their animals. Evacuees need make arrangements for long term boarding, if necessary.

TRAVEL INFORMATION AND ROAD CLOSURES/OPENINGS  

For a complete list of County Road closures, please refer to the website:

http://larimer.org/roads/road_closures.cfm

For a complete list of road closures State wide, a web page has been set up at: www.coloradodot.info/travel/colorado-flood-highway-updates.

FINDING MISSING FRIENDS AND FAMILY

• To report a missing or unaccounted person in Larimer County, please call 970-498-5500.
• The American Red Cross Safe and Well website should be used to find someone or post information about your location for your family and friends.  This website is www.safeandwell.org.  The Red Cross is currently working on registering all evacuees at the local shelters.

PHONE/SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION

• The public information line is 970-498-5500 and will be staffed by live volunteers from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. through today, Friday September 20, 2013.  For life threatening emergencies, dial 9-1-1. Sign up to receive emergency notifications on your cell phone and email at leta911.org.
• The most current updates can be found on our Facebook and Twitter sites:
  www.facebook.com/larimersheriff  and @LarimerSheriff
• Website updates at:

www.larimersheriff.org

www.larimer.org/emergency

www.larimer.org/flooding2013/ 

MEDIA BRIEFINGS

• There will be no more Media Briefings unless the situation changes.

BEWARE OF SCAMS

• Natural Disasters bring out the best and the worst in people and unfortunately con artists and criminals take advantage of those who have been devastated by these large events.  Below is a short list of common scams reported by Military One Source that take place and residents should be aware of:

1. Home Repair Frauds– Home repair and cleanup frauds are very common after natural disasters.  Be extremely careful before hiring anyone to work on your home.  Check references, never pay a contractor or other vendor in cash, always get a written estimate and ask for a second opinion.  Also remember never to pay the full amount for work done before work has begun.
2. Fake Charities – Con artists and criminals often pretend to solicit money to help victims of a natural disaster and will make up a name of a charity which sounds nearly identical to a legitimate charity.  Check out any charity groups you are unfamiliar with, never make cash donations and always make checks payable to the organization and not the individual soliciting money for the charity.
3. Fake FEMA Representatives – Sometimes a con artist will pretend to be a FEMA representative, collecting a “processing fee” for an emergency loan or other financial assistance.  If you are contacted by someone claiming to be a representative of an agency always call the agency directly to confirm that representative is legitimate. Do not use the phone number the solicitor gives you.  The number for FEMA is 1-800-621-3362.
4. 4.     Identity Theft – Losing important papers and documents in times of a natural disaster is common.  These items contain important personal information like social security numbers, bank account numbers and credit card numbers which can be used by criminals to make purchases and/or open new accounts in your name.  To avoid these problems makes sure to use a paper shredder to dispose of any papers or documents with personal information when you are cleaning up after a disaster. Get a copy of your credit report a few weeks after the disaster to make sure no one has illegally used your information. Contact your creditors immediately to report lost credit cards and contact your bank if you find you are missing checks or a bank card.

• See http://www.larimersheriff.org/site-page/frauds-and-scams for additional information and tips on what to do if you have fallen victim to a scammer.