Timberline, HCA jumped in after winds caused problems

Timberline, HCA jumped in after winds caused problems By Don Ireland

who wanted to charge their phones and other electronic devices because power

the developing problems.

make phone calls – while a

- eral other local businesses were closed due to the power able to cook the sandwiches on a gas stove. Kara Tinucci, who owns JKQ BBQ with her husband, Joe, estimated they supplied food for 25 first responders. Bradley, his fam- ily, and Spencer were among those who delivered the food to Timberline Fire Station 5 on Highway 119 in mid-county.

lot of our vol- unteers had no service, includ- ing cellphones or electricity.”

Most Decembers, Gilpin County’s first responders are - as winter arrives in the region.

Timberline Fire Protection District Chief Paul Onder told the Weekly Reg- ister-Call that the wind prob- lems led to an increase in calls for assistance. “We are still writ- ing reports and up, but prelimi nary numbers from Dec. 17 to Dec. 22, [2025], including 19 fires (on utility poles, trees, wildland fires, camping sites, etc.) and 30 line issues (no fire). The rest were medical calls, motor vehicle accidents, carbon- lines, etc.”

One of the calls Miller made was to Nicholas Spencer, who owns the Peak to Peak Market in Black Hawk. When Miller asked if Spencer had any pre- made sandwiches available, Spencer said his inventory had been quickly depleted by Gil pinites who came to the store after losing their refrig- erator food. How- to donate some of the bottled water, he had remaining to the HCA. “We had sold out our sand- wiches probably within the first five or six hours after the wind situation started,” re- called Spencer. “We told Terri got in contact with Larry Bradley, their chef. He made a bunch of pulled-pork sand- wiches and other food. So, we got those, plus the cases of water and chips, up to the fire department.”

However, unusually pow- erful winds caused the most problems this year in the county. Between Wednesday, Dec. 17, and Monday, Dec. 22, parts of the region were hit by near-hurricane-force winds of 100 miles per hour that toppled trees, knocked down power lines, and caused other problems. For example, lost power to their homes on Wednesday, Dec. 17, and didn’t get service back un- til Sunday, Dec. 21. Several Central City and Black Hawk residents and small businesses power outages.

Recalled Ondr, “We contact ed HCA because the crews had been running call to call for 15 hours with no opportunity to cook or eat. HCA, in collabora- tion with JKQ Barbecue, pro- vided food to all the crews as they continued responding, but they were able to throw down a few bites between calls. The next day, Larry Koppelman [HCA’s vice president] brought burritos to the station. This was awesome, as the crews were still extremely busy.”

Without power, food spoiled in non-running refrigerators and freezers. Others com- plained that their cellphone service didn’t work for days. Yet others couldn’t leave their homes because the wind blocked their driveways.

Chief Paul Ondr of Timberline Fire Protection District.

Added Miller, “We rallied and got them fed. Those guys at JKQ are just the best. Clare Stone [HCA’s vice president] was able to deliver some of the food to Station No. 5, and the guys were very, very happy.”

As a result, Miller began calling HCA members and others – whose phone service or power wasn’t out – to or- ganize what could be done to help the first responders. “As president of HCA, I’m the first they need our assistance,” said Miller. “Fortunately, we didn’t have any problems with our cellphone service down here. I was able to scramble and

News of Gilpin’s wind- related issues also quickly of the High Country Auxiliary, the nonprofit that supports TPFD and Gilpin’s other first responders. Miller and her husband, Eddie, were in Mis sissippi when they learned of

Added Chief Ondr, “As of Dec. 26, we have responded to 148 calls in December. We typically average 50-60 per month. Currently, we are at 803 calls in 2025. Before that, our busiest year was 2017, with 756 calls.”

The wind-related issues led the Gilpin County Sheriff’s Of fice to open a warming shelter in the Gilpin County School complex. The Black Hawk its building to several people

Timberline, HCA jumped in after winds caused problems

Patrick Henry Sweeney

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Timberline, HCA jumped in after winds caused problems

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