Aurora prepares for winter storm: "We're expecting the worst"

Snow is nothing new for Colorado, but each storm requires a coordinated response. For the winter blast expected to roll in Wednesday, the City of Aurora is preparing all its plows, emergency response teams, and cold-weather shelters. 

"We're expecting the worst right now," said Kurt Braaksma, operations supervisor for the city's streets department. "We're bringing in all the other departments — basically anyone with a CDL license we can call upon to plow snow for us."

Braaksma says it's "all hands on deck" for the incoming storm. While the warm sun was still shining Tuesday, crews checked every plow and piece of equipment to make sure they were ready to clear roads once the flakes start falling.

"We have almost 5,000 lane miles of road to plow," he told CBS News Colorado. "We'll get to you [residential streets] as soon as we can."

That is also the city's approach to helping the unhoused, getting to people as quickly as possible to provide whatever they may need. 

"Just making sure they're OK, offering them rides to shelter, giving them whatever they need if they decide not to come into the shelter," explained Emma Knight, manager of Aurora's homeless programs. 

Knight said their office also coordinated with the Aurora Police Department, Aurora Fire Rescue and mental health clinicians for the cold weather plan. That includes activating emergency shelters. In this case, they will open on Wednesday and allow overnight stays.

"It really means we're increasing our bed count and availability," said Knight. "Anyone who wants to come out of the cold weather can."

Though the storm hasn't arrived yet, the city has already postponed some events and changed a few public meetings to be virtual only. Residents should monitor the city's website or social media channels for updates.