Some move to rural Colorado because they want to disconnect, but when the wind starts blowing like it did Tuesday, and trees spark on power lines, those same people probably still want to reach first responders like Lefthand Fire Chief Chris O’Brien.
With a spotty cell signal in the Boulder County mountains, many rely on the phone company Lumen for landline coverage. But when the power goes out, O’Brien says so do the phone lines.
“They’ve got no way to communicate out if they’re in the case of an emergency, whether it’s 911, fire or medical problem,” O’Brien went on to say, “Any sort of backup power that they [Lumen] can provide, like generators, we expect them to do that, because technically, we’re not allowed into their equipment.”
O’Brien explained that at certain points where phone and internet lines come into the area, Lumen also has backup battery systems for when the power goes out. However, Lumen says that inconsistent power can shorten a battery’s life, and O’Brien says theirs goes out a half hour after the power does. This leaves many in the area unable to reach 911 in an emergency and is part of the reason why O’Brien staffs his main fire station 24/7…