Huge Mesa County mudslide with poss victims, as paged
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So far the Mesa County feed indicates they have a road closure but no apparent S&R Ops. It looks like this happened in a very, very, very remote area.
So far I've not heard any Fire Comms for this incident on the Mesa County Feed. Evidently Plateau Valley has a single DTR Tac channel, but they are dispatched on Grand Junction FD Primary. Are they using a Fire Tac channel and/or a Statewide MAC channel for this incident?
Evidently first reports came in around 6:15 PM, they do have reports of three people missing. Apparently there is no cell service in the area; does anyone know if they have adequate DTR or VHF coverage at the scene?
3 missing in huge mudslide near Collbran on Western Slope - 7NEWS Denver TheDenverChannel.com
3 missing in huge mudslide near Collbran on Western Slope - 7NEWS Denver TheDenverChannel.com
From GJ Sentinel
UPDATE: MC Sheriff’s Office: 3 missing in Vega-area slide
By Amy Hamilton
Sunday, May 25, 2014
UPDATE: Authorities are on the scene of a massive mudslide near Vega Reservoir, searching for three people who have been reported missing.
Reports of the three missing people came into emergency dispatch at about the same time dispatch received calls about the mudslide on Salt Creek Road or 60.5 Road, at about 6:15 p.m.
The slide is estimated at four miles long, two miles wide and about 250 feet deep in some places and is described as being very unstable, according to the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities believe the ridge was moving all day long because of the rainy weather. Emergency workers are on scene to determine whether the slide will move further.
“A witness who called into dispatch this evening described hearing a noise that sounded much like a freight train, ” the Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.
Citizens and the media are encouraged not to go to the scene, and the road is closed to the public at LE Road.
Workers plan to be at the scene all night.
“This slide is unbelievably big,” said Lt. Phil Stratton of the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office.
According to Google Earth, the rural Salt Creek Road, south of Vega Reservoir, has a couple homes and oil and gas drilling wells in the area.
—————————————————————————-
Mesa County Sheriff and Collbran authorities are responding to a mudslide on Salt Creek Road or 60.5 Road out of Collbran tonight.
Three people are missing, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Initial reports indicate the slide is four-miles wide.
Check back at gjsentinel.com for more information.
UPDATE: MC Sheriff’s Office: 3 missing in Vega-area slide
By Amy Hamilton
Sunday, May 25, 2014
UPDATE: Authorities are on the scene of a massive mudslide near Vega Reservoir, searching for three people who have been reported missing.
Reports of the three missing people came into emergency dispatch at about the same time dispatch received calls about the mudslide on Salt Creek Road or 60.5 Road, at about 6:15 p.m.
The slide is estimated at four miles long, two miles wide and about 250 feet deep in some places and is described as being very unstable, according to the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities believe the ridge was moving all day long because of the rainy weather. Emergency workers are on scene to determine whether the slide will move further.
“A witness who called into dispatch this evening described hearing a noise that sounded much like a freight train, ” the Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.
Citizens and the media are encouraged not to go to the scene, and the road is closed to the public at LE Road.
Workers plan to be at the scene all night.
“This slide is unbelievably big,” said Lt. Phil Stratton of the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office.
According to Google Earth, the rural Salt Creek Road, south of Vega Reservoir, has a couple homes and oil and gas drilling wells in the area.
—————————————————————————-
Mesa County Sheriff and Collbran authorities are responding to a mudslide on Salt Creek Road or 60.5 Road out of Collbran tonight.
Three people are missing, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Initial reports indicate the slide is four-miles wide.
Check back at gjsentinel.com for more information.
Spitfire8520
I might be completely clueless! =)
The DB shows many DTRS sites surrounding the area, but mountain terrain will definitely have a factor into how well that system works. I believe that most operations in the area will likely head off in the simplex direction since you don't need to rely on repeater or site coverage to be able to communicate with others. It looks like Mesa County SAR is licensed and listed in the DB on 155.22 MHz for simplex operations.
Recon flight scheduled for 830am.
Large Mudslide On Grand Mesa, 3 People Missing
UPDATE Posted at 7:20 a.m., May 26, 2014: Mesa County Sheriff's Office Sheriff Stan Hilkey will be meeting with media at noon, at the roadblock (Salt Creek Road and Highway 330, about 2 miles past the town of Collbran). This will be an informal news conference. For media purposes, video and pictures of the mudslide are a top priority in providing today.
For our public/media, updates on assessment of mudslide should be available after a helicopter flight goes out and returns--that is now scheduled to launch at approximately 8:30 a.m. No changes in information overnight and the three missing men, remain missing this morning.
Non-emergency dispatch in Mesa County can be reached at: 970-242-6707, if there is a true need from the public/citizens regarding this incident. Media inquiries can still be emailed to: Heather.Benajmin@mesacounty.us And, follow us on Facebook & Twitter @SheriffMesaColo using #MCMudslide.
Post at 10 p.m., May 25, 2014: Mesa County, Colo. -- A unified incident command has been established between Plateau Valley Fire Department, Mesa County Road and Bridge, and the Mesa County Sheriff's Office, to handle the large mudslide incident and search for 3 missing people possibly caught in the slide. The first reports of the mudslide came into the Grand Junction Regional Communication Center about 6:15 p.m., along with reports of 3 local Collbran/Mesa area residents missing.
Plateau Valley Fire Department first responded to the area of Salt Creek Road, in the area of Vega Reservoir, on the Grand Mesa. This area is east and south of the small town of Collbran--about 11 miles, located in Mesa County. Plateau Valley Fire and Deputies responded immediately, along with Mesa County Search and Rescue Control, Inc., and the Collbran Marshal. Citizens and media are highly discouraged from going into the area and a road block has been established outside the mudslide perimeter, for safety. The roadblock is set up at the intersection of Highway 330 and Salt Creek Road, outside the town of Collbran.
The mudslide is estimated to be about 4 miles long, 2 miles wide and about 250 feet deep, in many places. It is described as very unstable by deputies on scene tonight, and they estimate an entire ridge has been sliding for most of today. A witness who called into dispatch this evening, described hearing a noise that sounded much like a freight train that is attributed to the slide.
"This slide is unbelievably big," Lt. Phil Stratton, Mesa County Sheriff's Office, said. Weather, including rain, has fallen in Mesa County most of the day and likely contributed to the cause of the slide. The area is very remote and no structures have been reported damaged, however a more accurate assessment will be established after daylight tomorrow. No major roads have been impacted (I-70 is approximately 26 miles north of the slide).
Because cell phone service does not work in the area of incident command, updates aren't expected overnight. But, will be posted here on Monday, as soon as possible. We will also work on getting video and photos from the scene, but likely won't be available until early afternoon on Monday. Again, media and citizens are highly discouraged from going up there for safety reasons and will not be allowed through the roadblock.
Overnight inquiries from media should send an email to: Heather.Benjamin@mesacounty.us and a response will be provided as soon as possible. Also, follow us on Twitter @SheriffMesaColo using #MesaCounty #GVCopBeat and #MCmudslide (for this incident).
Large Mudslide On Grand Mesa, 3 People Missing
UPDATE Posted at 7:20 a.m., May 26, 2014: Mesa County Sheriff's Office Sheriff Stan Hilkey will be meeting with media at noon, at the roadblock (Salt Creek Road and Highway 330, about 2 miles past the town of Collbran). This will be an informal news conference. For media purposes, video and pictures of the mudslide are a top priority in providing today.
For our public/media, updates on assessment of mudslide should be available after a helicopter flight goes out and returns--that is now scheduled to launch at approximately 8:30 a.m. No changes in information overnight and the three missing men, remain missing this morning.
Non-emergency dispatch in Mesa County can be reached at: 970-242-6707, if there is a true need from the public/citizens regarding this incident. Media inquiries can still be emailed to: Heather.Benajmin@mesacounty.us And, follow us on Facebook & Twitter @SheriffMesaColo using #MCMudslide.
Post at 10 p.m., May 25, 2014: Mesa County, Colo. -- A unified incident command has been established between Plateau Valley Fire Department, Mesa County Road and Bridge, and the Mesa County Sheriff's Office, to handle the large mudslide incident and search for 3 missing people possibly caught in the slide. The first reports of the mudslide came into the Grand Junction Regional Communication Center about 6:15 p.m., along with reports of 3 local Collbran/Mesa area residents missing.
Plateau Valley Fire Department first responded to the area of Salt Creek Road, in the area of Vega Reservoir, on the Grand Mesa. This area is east and south of the small town of Collbran--about 11 miles, located in Mesa County. Plateau Valley Fire and Deputies responded immediately, along with Mesa County Search and Rescue Control, Inc., and the Collbran Marshal. Citizens and media are highly discouraged from going into the area and a road block has been established outside the mudslide perimeter, for safety. The roadblock is set up at the intersection of Highway 330 and Salt Creek Road, outside the town of Collbran.
The mudslide is estimated to be about 4 miles long, 2 miles wide and about 250 feet deep, in many places. It is described as very unstable by deputies on scene tonight, and they estimate an entire ridge has been sliding for most of today. A witness who called into dispatch this evening, described hearing a noise that sounded much like a freight train that is attributed to the slide.
"This slide is unbelievably big," Lt. Phil Stratton, Mesa County Sheriff's Office, said. Weather, including rain, has fallen in Mesa County most of the day and likely contributed to the cause of the slide. The area is very remote and no structures have been reported damaged, however a more accurate assessment will be established after daylight tomorrow. No major roads have been impacted (I-70 is approximately 26 miles north of the slide).
Because cell phone service does not work in the area of incident command, updates aren't expected overnight. But, will be posted here on Monday, as soon as possible. We will also work on getting video and photos from the scene, but likely won't be available until early afternoon on Monday. Again, media and citizens are highly discouraged from going up there for safety reasons and will not be allowed through the roadblock.
Overnight inquiries from media should send an email to: Heather.Benjamin@mesacounty.us and a response will be provided as soon as possible. Also, follow us on Twitter @SheriffMesaColo using #MesaCounty #GVCopBeat and #MCmudslide (for this incident).
They should probably get a Cell Tower on Wheels (COW) or a DTRS Site on Wheels (SOW) in there ASAP.
Example of a COW:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8BO1C3TT4xk
Example of a SOW:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_Xsxb6upkXA
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Example of a COW:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8BO1C3TT4xk
Example of a SOW:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_Xsxb6upkXA
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
n0nhp
Member
They are well outside my monitoring range for the Mesa County Feed. Most of the operations will be on Mesa County SAR 155.220 and Plateau Valley fire simplex 154.415 and I would guess the portable STAC 5 repeater will get set up sometime this morning. I will also lock the left side of my feed to Mesa County TAC 1 where the command/logistics are taking place.
Whether they will call for a COW or not I don't know.
I am getting ready to go camping/fishing for the next 10 days and don't have time to spend on the radio.
Bruce
Whether they will call for a COW or not I don't know.
I am getting ready to go camping/fishing for the next 10 days and don't have time to spend on the radio.
Bruce
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Regardless of whether they set up simplex repeaters, this would be the time to bring in one of their DTRS mobile interface sites that they have so that many Colorado agencies (and possibly the rest of us) can stay in the loop.
When have they ever deployed them? Or are they just sitting in some parking lot not being used when they are needed. They have at least one, maybe two of them.
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When have they ever deployed them? Or are they just sitting in some parking lot not being used when they are needed. They have at least one, maybe two of them.
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Apparently they have a "command channel", on Packsets it's "Zone G, channel 12". Is this DTR TG 8454?
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Perhaps folks at OEM or another State Agency will "tune-in" to certain Mesa County DTR TG's, which of course would share them with others in the Denver-Metro area. Or, maybe they'll have local dispatch patch-in to a Statewide MAC channel. One can only hope...
I don't think any of us has ever logged 8454 but this would be the time it would happen.
Like you said, maybe an state agency will listen on that TG and light it up on a site we can hear it on.
At the press conference the Sheriff just stated he doesn't think there will be any "clean-up", and the new terrain will basically remain as-is.
Spitfire8520
I might be completely clueless! =)
I think STAC is referred to as STAC-5 when operating with a repeater and STAC-D (STAC-Direct) for simplex radio to radio operations.
I believe the state has had two of them. One is based in Denver and the other one is coincidentally based on Grand Junction. I don't think anyone has seen them "in the wild" as of yet though.
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