HUGO, Colo. — People in Lincoln County are being told to brace for the worst as a blizzard moves into the area Wednesday. Emergency workers expect the community to be without power for hours.
The sheriff’s office expects to make rescues up and down Interstate 70.
“Visibility is going to be zero. Travel is going to be almost impossible. So we are wanting to make sure people are not stranded on our roadways,” said Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Michael Yowell. “There are times our sheriff’s [deputies] are not going to be able to get to them.”
The area’s only hospital, Lincoln Community Hospital, has enacted its blizzard protocol plan.
The area is very rural, so getting help to people with medical emergencies will be a challenge.
“The biggest thing is just the recognition at being this far away and being this remote is the potential of the power outage,” said Lincoln Community Hospital director of nursing Rachel Smith.
The lack of power could endanger people using medical devices requiring electricity. Staff at Lincoln have made a list of people in the area who may be most at risk. Extra medical supplies have been brought in.
People in the area have been told to be prepared to stay put for 18 hours.