Crystal Park Evacuation Plan

UPDATED Crystal Park Evacuation Plan (May 2011): Read the entire evacuation plan carefully now! You may not have time if it should ever become necessary to leave your home quickly. This version has been updated and includes the new shelter-in-place located at the Crystal Park Fire Department at 496 Palmer Trail in the upper park.

Communications:  The El Paso County Emergency Notification System (ENS), sometimes referred to as Reverse 911, will be the primary way that you will be notified of an emergency in Crystal Park.  Your land line is already in this notification system, but you must take the extra step to register your cell phone.  Please do so immediately.

You may also take advantage of General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS):

Staging Areas (SA) and Checkpoints: Crystal Park’s single evacuation route is the paved main road – “Crystal Park Road”. It is possible that egress will not always be possible, so be prepared to go UP rather than down! Know the established Staging Areas depending on your location and nature of the emergency.

There are 6 staging areas that will become CPVFD checkpoints where residents should gather both for accountability and for potential evacuation by helicoptor or until the main road is clear.

Staging Area 1:SA1 is located at the lake in the Upper Park. SA1 is considered the primary safety area and will be the location where the CPVFD will establish Upper Park resident accountability. All residents will stage from this primary safety area until such time as they are evacuated down Crystal Park Road or via helicopter from the Lake helicoptor pad or the Cone pad. An initial Checkpoint will be established at the lake to account for all residents being evacuated.

Staging Area 2:SA2 is Flat Rock in the Pike National Forest. If required, staging from Flat Rock supports Cone evacuation operations. A Checkpoint may be established at Flat Rock to account for all residents being evacuated from this location.

Staging Area 3:The Lower Switchback (where the Historical Turntable is located) represents another safety area that may be used if needed. The CPVFD will establish a secondary evacuation Checkpoint at the Lower Switchback to maintain resident accountability during any evacuation.

Staging Area 4:Railroad Grade represents another safety area that may be used if needed. The CPVFD may establish a secondary evacuation Checkpoint at Railroad Grade to maintain resident accountability during any evacuation.

Staging Area 5: SA5 is located in the open area approximately a half-mile from the gate. This area is large enough to ensure resident safety in the event complete evacuation out of the gate cannot be accomplished. A Checkpoint may be established at this location as required otherwise residents will continue to the gate to complete Crystal Park evacuation.

Staging Area 6:SA6 is located in the large open area at Scrub Oak Road. This area is large enough to ensure resident safety in the event complete evacuation out of the gate cannot be accomplished. A Checkpoint may be established at this location as required.

CRYSTAL PARK SHELTER-IN-PLACE DESIGNED FOR SAFETY FROM
WILDLAND FIRE

Emergency Shelter-In-Place (SIP): The SIP is the last resort in the event that residents have safely made it to SA1 and it is determined that there is a need to muster in the SIP as dictated by whatever fire behavior we may be dealing with. The SIP was conceived by the HOA Forestry Committee and the CPVFD was requested by the HOA Board of Directors to construct and complete the SIP. The CPVFD accepted the Board’s request and proceeded to build this emergency facility which was completed in June 2009 (outer structure and floor only). The SIP is located on Maintenance Road and there are two signs leading to the facility. The facility is owned by the membership and serves as a maintenance facility and houses CPVFD fire apparatus and equipment.

Pictures from an Alaskan wildland fire clearly show how well an all metal building with defensible space will survive a wildland fire. The Crystal Park Shelter-in-Place is completely clad in metal; and a wide berth of open space protects it from fire.