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Rocky Mountain Pandemic: An inside look at how Eagle County, Colorado – home of Vail – has managed the COVID-19 pandemic

As the State of Colorado eases measures put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we take a look at how one community with an early outbreak took aggressive measures to contain the spread of the virus – and emerge stronger than ever.

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Through careful preparation and a collaborative effort among Eagle County Paramedic Services, Vail Health, Eagle County Sheriff’s Office and others, Eagle County, Colorado has avoided many of the problems experienced in other communities in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

image/Eagle County Paramedic Services

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Through careful preparation and a collaborative effort among Eagle County Paramedic Services, Vail Health, Eagle County Sheriff’s Office and others, Eagle County, Colorado has avoided many of the problems experienced in other communities in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

image/Eagle County Paramedic Services

By Laura Neitzel

The towns and villages of Eagle County, Colorado, wind through the White River National Forest under the peaks of the Rocky Mountains. Home to two world-famous ski resorts – Vail and Beaver Creek – the county welcomes visitors from around the world who flock to the area year-round to enjoy its natural beauty and recreational activities.

Because it’s an international destination, Eagle County emergency preparedness leaders knew that even their small, tight-knit communities could be at risk from the novel virus emerging from China in late December 2019. By the time the first case of COVID-19 hit the community (from an international traveler) on March 4, 2020, Eagle County had taken early, proactive measures to activate emergency preparedness plans, secure needed supplies and implement a coordinated interagency communication strategy.

Eagle County has kept infection and death rates low while avoiding many of the issues plaguing other parts of the County. Here is a look at how they did it.

To view a PDF of this special feature, sponsored by Lexipol, click here.

Laura Neitzel is Director of Branded Content for Lexipol, where she produces written and multimedia branded content of relevance to a public safety audience, including law enforcement, fire, EMS and corrections.She has over 25 years’ experience writing and producing branded and educational content for nationally-recognized companies, government agencies, non-profits and advocacy organizations.