Thanks to everyone who participated in the 2024 Food Drive Challenge for ECHO Food Bank. More than 21,000 pounds of food was collected bringing the 15-year total up to more than 250,000 pounds of food!

San Juan County has reclaimed the Mr. Potato Head Trophy with more than 17,500 pounds of food collected- but ECHO could always use additional donations. If you are able to, consider donating to ECHO food bank this season. Holiday food items are in high demand right now. 

If you are using a fireplace, burning wood or coal to get warm or stay warm this season, we hope that you have already done your seasonal inspection and cleaning of your fireplace or stove and chimney or vent pipe. If not, there is no time like the present!

But, what do you do with the ashes after the fire is out?

We go on plenty of calls because of fires caused by heating, but we also go on calls for fires started by improperly disposed of ashes. If you have ashes, please use the following tips:

• DO NOT remove hot ashes from the fireplace immediately. Wait up to 2-3 days and let the ashes cool completely in the fireplace until there are no remaining hot embers before removing them.
• NEVER put fireplace ashes in a combustible plastic trash container because it can easily ignite. If you have to remove the ashes from the fireplace before they are completely cool, put the ashes and remaining hot embers in a metal bucket. Move the bucket outside the house and garage and well away from anything that is combustible.
• ONLY put fireplace ashes in your combustible plastic trash container when they are completely cool and after you have put your trash container out on the street for trash pickup.

And if you are planning to put up the Christmas tree soon, or have already, fresh cut trees can be a big danger!

• Make sure you have live flames well away from your fresh tree.
• If the tree has been stored for more than three days, prior to putting it up, make another one inch cut off the bottom of the trunk and immediately place the tree into a stand that holds at least a half-gallon of water.
• Keep the water level above the cut and check the water level daily. Initially, a fresh tree may soak up to a gallon of water a day.

We hope you have a safe and happy holiday season!

The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office was the recipient of state grant funding to upgrade Air 1 to a brand new helicopter last December- but that also meant that it was time to upgrade the hangar. Air 1’s new and bigger home is convenient for members of the Air Support Division to maintain the helicopter and deploy it 24/7. The $1.4 million hangar has ample space for two helicopters, parts storage, and all the tools to keep it in tip-top condition, offices, bathrooms, and a flight simulator. It is a huge improvement from the repurposed building our air division used before.

When you see Air 1 in the sky give our crews a wave!