Weld County Used Military Vehicle For Rescues During Colorado Blizzard
WELD COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - In a Facebook post, the Weld County Sheriff's Department chronicled two busy days during last week's blizzard. The snow piled high, and wind blew it into 3 to 4 feet high drifts in some areas. By Sunday afternoon, visibility had dropped to 7 feet.
The complex terrain of Weld County made for a wide variety of snow totals, ranging from around a foot in the northeast part of the county to over two feet in the southwest. Wind speeds were sustained between 15-25 mph for many hours with gusts between 30-50 mph.
The Weld County Sheriff's Office mobilized Rescue 1, which is the agency's Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected military vehicle, or MRAP.
Three teams of three deputies operated the the vehicle over 40 hours from Sunday morning until Monday night. In that time, they were able to conduct 32 rescues, transporting dozens of people to shelters, motels, or their homes. They winched out eight stuck vehicles, assisted 24 more stuck motorists, and brought food, water, and handwarmers to motorists who were stuck in their vehicles overnight.
The office acquired Rescue 1 in 2014 through a U.S. Department of Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office grant. It has six-wheel drive, high-clearance, and high-traction. The Weld County Sheriff's Office uses it about 20 times a year, usually during extreme weather, but sometimes during SWAT calls.