Black Forest Evacuees Urged To Get Tetanus Shots Before Returning

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4) - As some families prepare to go home to the Black Forest Fire burn area they're being urged to get tetanus shots.

Health experts say there is so much debris and rough edges surrounding damaged homes in that area that they don't want an outbreak of tetanus on top of everything else.

"The sheriff has allowed me in there. I've seen places where homes are in fine shape, but buildings have been destroyed. I would anticipate that homeowners are probably going to start that cleanup themselves," said Dennis Hisey, El Paso County Commissioner. "We want to make sure if you puncture you're skin in some manner, just a scrape from a piece of tin, that you're safe and you're not going to be contracting tetanus."

Black Forest residents and volunteers helping in that area are urged to get their tetanus shot at the Disaster Relief Center.

Wildfire Resources

- Visit CBSDenver.com's Wildfire Resources section.

- Read recent Wildfire stories.

Wildfire Photo Galleries

- See images from the most destructive wildfires (Waldo Canyon, High Park and Fourmile) and largest wildfire (Hayman) in Colorado history.