Colorado National Guard assisting with Marshall Fire and Covid testing
CENTENNIAL, Colo. (KRDO) – Fifty-six members of the Colorado National Guard are supporting traffic management during the Marshall Fire response in Boulder County.
On Thursday, Governor Jared Polis declared a state of emergency which authorized the use of unarmed CONG assets for law enforcement purposes supporting direct consequences of this event.
“People are our first priority,” The Adjutant General of Colorado, U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Laura Clellan said in a press release. “In the midst of the longest activation in our states history supporting the COVID-19 response our dedicated CONG members are adequately prepared and trained to support the Boulder County, Superior and Louisville communities during this tragic event. Our hearts go out to those affected, we are neighbors and we’re in this together.”
The Colorado National Guard will be assisting with traffic control, security operations, and evacuation of people displaced by the Marshall Fire.
At the same time, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has requested support to COVID-19 testing due to increased lines at testing centers.
About 200 CONG members will assist with the testing surge around the state. They started helping on Saturday, and the operation will run for 31 days.
One hundred CONG members are already assist the SEOC and CDPHE with vaccine and medical planning, vaccine site management, building and managing urgent care outreach, medical analysis of COVID-19 trends, and support to the CDPHE state laboratory in Denver, Colorado.
Joint Task Force-Centennial’s COVID-19 task force, initially activated March 13, 2020, has been on duty for more than 650 days supporting the state with testing, contact tracing, planning, and vaccine transportation and distribution during the longest emergency response in Colorado history.
