La Plata County residents turn to social media for help clearing driveways, sidewalks – The Durango Herald

Current storms have left many overwhelmed with extreme snow elimination

Some La Plata County residents have been unable to clear their driveways and sidewalks of the 24 to 30 inches of snow that buried components of Southwest Colorado this week, and plenty of turned to social media websites like Nextdoor and Fb to hunt assist from these with the means and the time to assist.

Matthew Bryant of Durango made a submit on Nextdoor providing to plow his neighbors’ driveways and was instantly inundated with requires help.

“I actually simply began this on Monday, and I’ve been attempting to get to as many individuals as doable,” he mentioned in an interview performed on Nextdoor. “I’ve misplaced depend how many individuals have reached out to me. If I used to be to guess, perhaps 40-60 folks in lower than every week.”

Amongst those that referred to as Bryant for assist have been an older couple who had turn into trapped of their properties by the heavy snowfall.

“I’ve carried out work for 2 separate older {couples} who have been of their 80s,” he mentioned. “Yesterday, a type of {couples} was fully snowed in, and I used to be in a position to get them entry to their automobiles/driveway.”

Some residents reached out on social media for assist, like a Three Springs resident who goes by “Guess” on Nextdoor. “I’m a senior girl & I would like my driveway shoveled!!” she wrote.

Guess, who declined to provide her full identify when reached by cellphone, mentioned she has problem each winter getting assist with snow elimination in entrance of her dwelling.

“I’m in my 70s now, and I can deal with about 3 inches of snow,” she mentioned. “If I’ve to pay to rent somebody at the start of the season, I don’t need them popping out for 3 inches and charging me $75.”

Guess mentioned she has far more than 3 inches of snow to cope with this week, and that was when she determined to show to social media for assist.

“I used to be having such a tough time, and I made my submit, and these two guys answered immediately, however then it was just a little scary after they confirmed up as a result of now they know I’m an previous girl dwelling on my own. Now it’s an enormous concern,” she mentioned.

Guess believes most residents, particularly senior residents, will overlook the security subject if there’s a determined want for snow elimination.

“I additionally personal one other property that wants the roof cleared off,” she mentioned. “Now clearly, I can’t try this both. I lastly bought somebody, however once more, it was by social media. I want there was another manner, you understand?”

One non-social media resolution posed by metropolis spokesman Tom Sluis, in an e mail to The Durango Herald, is for these 60 and older dwelling within the speedy Durango space to contact town’s senior middle to get assist earlier than the subsequent snowstorm.

“The Durango-La Plata Senior Middle might be the most effective useful resource,” he mentioned. “The middle affords assist by their ‘Residence Chore Companies’ program, (970) 382-6428, which does embody walkway snow elimination for a prompt donation.”

Bernice Madril, a spokeswoman for the Residence Chore Companies program, warns that workers members don’t clear roofs.

“We do not have snowplows or snowblowers,” she mentioned. “We now have two staff who clear sidewalks and driveways.”

Madril mentioned Durango residents 60 and older can join with Residence Chore Companies for snow elimination help and recommends giving a donation as a pleasant gesture for workers’ efforts.

“We encourage a donation of $8 to $15 an hour,” she mentioned.

The Pine River Senior Middle in Bayfield additionally reached out on Nextdoor searching for additional assist in aiding senior residents with snow elimination. Representatives of the senior middle couldn’t be reached for remark.

Whether or not utilizing paid assist or counting on help from neighbors, Colorado residents are required to clear snow from sidewalks by state regulation.

In response to Colorado’s Snow Elimination Regulation, the main points of which may be discovered on the Colorado Division of Transportation’s web site, “Residents are chargeable for clearing driveways and sidewalks inside 24 hours after a snowstorm to permit protected use by pedestrians. That is significantly vital alongside faculty pedestrian routes to stop youngsters from having to stroll on the street.”

Sluis mentioned residents can adhere to the regulation by serving to one another preserve driveways and sidewalks clear throughout these harder winter days.

“Whereas town doesn’t have devoted workers to assist in these conditions, we do encourage group members to be civic-minded in relation to weather-related occasions like this,” he mentioned. “All of us have to look out for one another. The neighborly factor to do is provide to assist clear a number of additional ft of sidewalk, or clear the driveway of an aged one who might need assistance.”

molsen@durangoherald.com