Colorado National Guard's Snow Response Team On Standby
DENVER (CBS4)- The Colorado National Guard is standing by to help first responders if needed. The troops staged their gear on Monday night when the snow started to fall.
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Gov. Jared Polis approved a resource request for Colorado National Guard troops along with the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control.
The Colorado National Guard deployed Small Unit Support Vehicles to help with response and rescue efforts. According to the Colorado National Guard, the SUSV is capable of traversing almost any terrain. It's also the primary vehicle used by the Colorado Army National Guard's Snow Response Team.
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The Colorado National Guard says it can be used to assist state and local rescue teams during nearly every type of disaster, state emergency or search and rescue.
PHOTO GALLERY: Thanksgiving Week Snowstorm 2019
The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control will also use Light Medium Tactical Vehicles (LMTV) to respond to any weather-related incidents.
The Winter Storm Warning continues until 2 p.m. Tuesday with another 3-5 inches expected, on top of what fell overnight Monday into Tuesday, before the snow stops.
The National Weather Service advises, "Conditions will NOT be favorable for the busy holiday travel period leading up to, during, and after Thanksgiving, especially in the mountains."
As the snow starts to accumulate, snow plow crews with the Colorado Department of Transportation will focus on primary roads in an effort to reduce impacts to the main highways. CDOT officials said road closures are possible depending on conditions.
I-70 is closed east of the Denver metro area. A fatal crash near Avon also led to a separate I-70 closure in the mountains on Tuesday morning.
