COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Julie Woods is the full time shelter manager at Chinook Winds Riding Stable. She is also one of the founding members of the El Paso County Animal Response Team. The organization is an all-volunteer unit that provides disaster support to animals of all kind.
"I'm a true animal lover," said Woods. "My life is wrapped around animals. I just love the animals. I guess I just relate to them better than people sometimes.
During the Waldo Canyon Fire, Julie was notified by the Emergency Operations Center to establish a large animal shelter at the Norris Penrose Events Center.
Patty Baxter is the Emergency Manager for El Paso County.
"So I jumped in my truck and as I'm going down I-25 I can see the plume over on the canyon and I started making phone calls activating all of my stake-holders," said Baxter. "I called Julie Woods, and my one phone call to her was I need you to activate the large animal shelter at Norris Penrose."
Julie spent 16 days taking care of the animals at the shelter. During that time, she took two weeks of from her job, without pay, to operate it.
Debbie Nightingale nominated Julie for the 'Hometown Heroes' award.
"Everybody in town was under stress at the time," said Nightingale. "If she hadn't done what she had done key emergency services might have been somewhat distracted with having to deal with animals. And she did a flawless job. Nobody heard about what she did and in this kind of scenario that's kind of a good thing."
In total, Julie ensured that 176 animals had a safe place to be evacuated during the Waldo Canyon Fire.
"Right afterwards I came out and said never again, but I mean yeah we probably would do it again," said Woods. "As much as I wish there wasn't a fire, I mean, the whole outcome was rather enjoyable."
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