Coronavirus In Colorado: State's Emergency Operations Center At Level 1
CENTENNIAL, Colo. (CBS4) - It may not look like much. It's a dark room in an office building, but the decisions being made in there will save lives.
"We respond to weather events, water shortages, cyberattacks," said Micki Trost, the Public Information Officer for the Colorado State Joint Information Center.
Colorado's emergency operations center is always in Centennial looking out for Coloradans. However, right now it's in a unique situation.
"It's not activated at Level 1 every day," said Trost.
Level 1. That means Colorado's best and brightest emergency managers, along with federal officials, are there in one room taking in information and helping Gov. Jared Polis make decisions that will keep Colorado safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"So that as we get in new data, as we get in new requests for information or see a gap in the community, those are immediately addressed," Trost told CBS4.
It's a tough job, but one that is necessary right now. The goal is to help the people in the community fighting the spread of the virus to be successful.
"They are working every day. We work a 12 hour shift and they are getting those resources, technical guidance -- the information that's needed -- to the folks that are on the ground," Trost said.
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This is just the beginning. The emergency management center will always be there, but they will stay at Level 1 working long days until they know Coloradans are safe. It could take months, or even a year.
"We will be at Level 1 until the threat is mitigated. Until the situation is back to a new normal," said Trost.
One thing they definitely need are healthy people at the facility. They can't afford to have one sick person infect the whole center, so they have signs everywhere reminding workers to clean their work stations. Also, to get in to the center itself everyone has to go through a health screening to make sure they aren't sick.