Free sandbags for those at risk of flash floods

About 2,000 volunteers gathered Saturday to fill sandbags for people whose homes are at risk of flash floods.

“What we’re doing with the sandbags is giving them the opportunity to protect their houses from small amounts of water that come around,” said Ken Hughlett, from Colorado Springs Emergency Management.

Carol Woods’ Mountain Shadows home was barely spared in the fire. On Saturday, she picked up sandbags to keep that home safe.

“We’re going to stack them in our backyard and hope to divert should we get heavy rains, hope to divert the water flow and keep our home from getting flood damage on top of it,” she said.

The City of Colorado Springs, Emergency Management and Colorado Together put together the sandbag giveaway. But volunteers came from multiple organizations.

“Ever since the fire took place, the church has been really trying to help our neighbors,” said John Leavitt, from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

One neighbor they helped on Saturday was Lee Grasmick.

“We lost our house,” he said. “It was destroyed.”

Now he hopes to protect his remaining property and its surroundings. And he says he’s thankful not just for the sandbags, but for all the help he’s gotten.”

“There’s been countless numbers of people who’ve jumped in and either donated things or just shown support in various ways, he said.