Being prepared for disasters and emergencies can seem like a big job. Many people don't know where to start, so they never start at all. With Do 1 Thing you can take small steps that make a big difference in an emergency.

Do 1 Thing is a 12-month program that makes it easy for you to prepare yourself, your family, and your community for emergencies or disasters.

Learn all the details at do1thing.com/

 Even though landscape plants are dormant and brown, they should be watered periodically.
When to water 

• Water one to two times per month from November to April. 
• Choose a warm winter day with air temperature above 40 degrees and unfrozen soil. 

What to water 

• It is most important to water newly planted lawns, trees, shrubs and flowers. 
• Established lawn areas and trees, especially those in sunny, windy, or exposed areas should also be a high priority. 
• Do not winter water cacti, succulents, buffalograss, blue grama and very xeriscape plants. 

How to water 

• Use a hose-end sprinkler or watering wand. Set a timer so you don't overwater.
• Remove the hose from the spigot after watering to prevent freeze damage. 
• Water slowly so it can soak in. 

Learn more at https://www.csu.org/Pages/Blog/Winter-watering.aspx

Do 1 Thing is a web-based twelve month preparedness program that focuses on a different area of emergency preparedness each month, and provides a range of preparedness options for each topic. Every month has a low or no-cost option to become better prepared. Do 1 Thing is a non-profit organization that aims to build more disaster resilient communities. They give you a choice of three things you can do, then you choose one. You can jump in at anytime. Learn more http://do1thing.com/individuals

Colorado Springs requires property owners to clear their walkways so that EVERYONE has safe access throughout the City!  Senior citizens, people with disabilities, parents with strollers, and mail carriers -just to name a few- struggle to negotiate hazardous walkways.  We need to do our part to make our community safe and accessible for all.

Timing: Once snow has stopped falling, residents have twenty-four (24) hours to remove snow and ice from public sidewalks adjacent to their property.  See the City announcement: coloradosprings.gov/neighborhood-services/page/snow-shoveling

Report A Problem: We encourage residents to work together to keep sidewalks clear for safe passage and to kindly remind neighbors with unshoveled sidewalks of the City's requirement.  To report a problem, please contact 385-5977 to provide the address of an unshoveled sidewalk.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium in the soil.

• It's a gas that moves up through the soil to the atmosphere.

• ​High radon levels have been found in all 50 states and in all parts of Colorado.
• In Colorado, about half the homes have radon levels higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommended action level of 4 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L).
• Radon has no color, odor or taste and doesn't cause short-term symptoms of illness.
• Radon causes cancer.
  • It's estimated to cause about 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year in the United States.
  • It's the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U. S, according to the surgeon general.
  • Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths.

Learn more:  https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/understanding-radon
Order discounted testing kits:  http://sosradon.org/test-kits

​Radon moves from uranium-bearing granite deposits in the soil to the atmosphere.

• Your home sits on radon's pathway from the soil to the atmosphere.
• Your home is usually warmer and has lower air pressure than the surrounding soil, so gases in the soil, including radon, move into your home.
• The most common routes are:
  • Spaces between basement walls and the slab.
  • Cracks in foundations and/or walls.
  • Openings around sump pumps and drains.
  • Construction joints and plumbing penetrations.
  • Crawl spaces.
  • Well water with high radon concentrations.

• ​​The age and/or type of home doesn't matter when it comes to whether high levels of radon are present.

Learn more about radon, testing for radon, and mitigating radon from Colorado's Department of Public Health and & Environment at https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/categories/services-and-information/environment/radon