Video by Miles Eddy, www.mileseddy.com

Alamosa is still coping with salmonella. The toll in the city's bout with the poisoning — which spread through the municipal water system — is now at least $469,000 and 326 sick people. Residents were excited when a yellow slip of paper was found taped to their doors over the weekend. It is official; the entire city is in Stage 2 of the 3-stage flushing.

So, the big stink may be over for some, but just how long residents will have to wait to pour a glass of water from their taps remains to be seen, according to state and local officials. The roughly 2,000 students in the city’s public schools returned to class Monday after a four-day hiatus during the disinfection of the municipal water system.

In other related news, students from Trinidad State Junior College’s massage therapy program on Monday massaged the tired shoulders and backs of volunteers helping Alamosa survive its water crisis and salmonella halted a court hearing on Monday to determine restitution owed in a Splashland embezzlement case.



Below is the Salmonella Outbreak Time Line

Thursday, March 6
• First case of salmonella reported.

Monday, March 17
• Emergency Operations Center Established by Alamosa County.

Tuesday, March 18
• 52 cases of salmonella cases confirmed.

Wednesday, March 19
• Bottled water advisory order issued by Colorado Department of Health and Environment to City of Alamosa.
• Full Emergency Operations Center Opened with participation by County and City.
• COHELP Line activated: 1-877-452-2911.
• Denver Water Quality arrives.

Thursday, March 20
• American Red Cross presence begins with 18 volunteers in the field to staff water distribution centers.
• Three water distribution centers established in the afternoon: old Kmart building, Boyd Park and San Luis Valley Regional Center, open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Friday, March 21
• First arrival of Colorado National Guard (3).

Saturday, March 22
• Gov. Ritter and Sen. Salazar arrive for tour.

Sunday, March 23
• Delegation of authority handed to Jefferson County Incident Management Team.
• More than 170 volunteers distribute informational 5,000 flyers.

Monday, March 24
• Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announces laboratory results test positive for salmonella in Alamosa water system. 217 cases of salmonella reported, with 68 confirmed.
• Arrival of 18 Colorado National Guard members.
• First news conference held at 3 p.m. with Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Rogers and City Public Works Director Don Koskelin.
• Governor Ritter sends letter to Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services calling for 9 federal specialists including environmental personnel, epidemiologists and risk communications experts and an unspecified number of water quality experts.

Tuesday, March 25
• Alamosa School District closes schools to coincide with Stage 1 with plans to reopen March 31.
• High chlorination process begins at 9 a.m. with Stage 1 Red notification.
• 5,500 fact sheets created by Joint Information Center inserted into Valley Courier newspaper free of charge.
• Arrival of regional emergency services coordinator to manage response by Health and Human Services.
• Five personnel arrive from Federal Drug Administration Consumer Safety Office.

Wednesday, March 26
• Adams State College Classes canceled with plans to reopen March 31.
• Stage 1 Red notification completed citywide by 7:30 p.m.
• Update to Alamosa City Council; 3 theories identified: 1) possible cross contamination in the system; 2) a potential crack in a line that allowed for a contamination to enter when low pressure occurred; or 3) a potential contamination of a water storage site.
• Five personnel from Centers for Disease Control arrived.
• Introduction of daily recorded statements by the Mayor on TV Channel 10.

Thursday, March 27
• Denver Salvation Army announced voucher distribution for paper products.
• Comfort Inn announces free showers for residents daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. until city water cleared for bathing.
• Jefferson County Incident Management Team relieved by Northwest Colorado Incident Management Team; delegation of authority completed.
• 286 cases reported, 73 confirmed, 11 hospitalized
• Update to Alamosa City Council in public meeting.

Friday, March 28
• 293 salmonella cases reported, 78 confirmed cases and 12 hospitalized.
• 106 of Alamosa’s 119 regulated food service and institutional facilities reported being open and inspectors from the Consumer Protection Division of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment are reaching out to the 10 remaining providers to assist in their reopening.
• Since Sunday, 519 volunteers have helped, donating more than 2,000 hours.
• Announcement that all areas of the city have received the super chlorination.
• 1 new hospitalization.

Saturday, March 29
• Senator Gail Schwartz visit to Alamosa
• One more restaurant open.
• CO-HELP line remains open staffed by professionals.
• 315 cases reported, 85 confirmed, 12 hospitalized.
• National Guard reduced by 11; 9 remain to staff water distribution center.
• Stage 2 Yellow flier notification distributed to northern most portion of the city as water treatment efforts allowed.
• 315 total cases reported, 85 confirmed cases and 12 hospitalized.

Sunday, March 30
• School officials met with emergency response teams to prepare for reopening.
• Painted 99% of the city “yellow” for Stage 2 during the day, with only 20 homes in the golf course area remaining.
• Determined it was OK during Stage 2 to wash clothes.
• Last day for showers at the Comfort Inn; 1,153 residents served over four days.
• 316 total cases reported, 85 confirmed cases and 12 hospitalized.
• 1 Colorado Division of Emergency Management demobilized.
• 1 District of Attorney Office staff member demobilized.
• Cost to date, $469,000.
• 192 responding personnel.

Monday, March 31
• Golf Course neighborhood cleared for Yellow Stage.
• News conference at 11 a.m.
• Emergency Operations Center transition from Northwest Colorado Incident Management Team to Eastern Colorado Incident Management Team.
• 2 Centers for Disease Control staff demobilized.

Below are incident statistics as of March 31, 2008:

• Bottled/Jug Water Distributed – 28,528 gallons
• Bulk Water Distributed – 68,867 gallons
• Total Water Distribution – 97,395 gallons
• Bottled Water on Hand – 42,073 gallons
• CO-Help:
o Calls received – 2442
o Asked to talk to a health expert – 1203
• Volunteer Hours Coordinated by America Red Cross – over 3000
• Volunteers Coordinated by American Red Cross – 749
• Personnel Assigned to Incident - 192
• Responding Agencies: 36
o Alamosa Fire Department, Alamosa County Nursing, Alamosa County Sheriff’s Office, Alamosa County Management, Alamosa County Road and Bridge, Alamosa County Emergency Management, Alamosa Water Department, Alamosa Police Department, City of Alamosa Management, City of Durango, City of Ft. Collins, Costilla County, Homeland Security, Rio Grande County, Saquache County, Gilpin County, Jefferson County Incident Management Team, Northwest Colorado Incident Management Team, San Luis Valley Regional EMS/Trauma Advisory Council, San Luis Valley Mental Health, U.S. Forest Service, Colorado National Guard, Colorado Department of Health and Environment, Denver Environmental Health, Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado Division of Emergency Management, Denver Water, Aurora Water, Boulder Water, Pueblo Water, Colorado Rural Water Association, East Cherry Creek Village, Red Cross, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services operating divisions to include the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Donators: Alamosa Bus Co, Alamosa School District, Bresnan Communications, Albertsons, Anheuser Busch, Blue Peaks/Handicapped, Burger King, Big-K, Center for Disabilities, City Market/King Soopers, Colorado Springs Power Company, CSP Dispatcher, Comfort Inn, Coors, Cost-Co, Denver Salvation Army Store, Dominos, Efrem’s Hideaway Steakhouse, Extreme Graphics Banners, King Soopers, Jacks Market, LDS Church, May Wa, McDonalds, Nestles, Nino’s Food, Pepsi, Pizza Den and Pasta, Quizno’s, Red Cross, Rent-A-Tent, Waste Management, River of Life Church, Safeway, San Luis Valley Pizza, Simpler Life E. Provisions, Swift Trucking Company, Voyager Trucking Company, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, El Pomar Foundation