This site will serve as an information source during critical incidents in Mesa County that involve the Mesa County Joint Information Center (JIC). Please be sure to enter your email and click the “Follow” button so you can receive instant information updates during an incident.
For more information about the Mesa County JIC visit www.mesacountypio.com and watch our video.
*THIS IS A DRILL*
May 4, 2017
Contact: Ellis Thompson-Ellis, 970-697-8587
Incident involving Plane Crash at Grand Junction Regional Airport
Grand Junction, CO – Grand Junction Regional Airport has reported an incident involving a Blue Sky Airplane Flight Number 1234 crash that occurred at 10:25 AM on May 4, 2017. The airline has confirmed there were 57 passengers aboard the plane. There have been 11 confirmed fatalities including 4 crew members, 46 evaluated for injuries, and 1 dog on board, alive and accounted for.
This incident has prompted a interagency response. The Grand Junction Fire Department, Grand Junction Police Department, Mesa County Sheriffs Department, Mesa County Public Health, and Red Cross are on the scene.
*THIS IS A DRILL*
PRESS RELEASE: Incident involving Plane Crash at Grand Junction Regional Airport
May 4, 2017
Contact: Ellis Thompson-Ellis, 970-697-8587
Incident involving Plane Crash at Grand Junction Regional Airport
Grand Junction, CO – Grand Junction Regional Airport has reported an incident involving a Blue Sky Airplane Flight Number 1234 crash that occurred at 10:25 AM on May 4,2017. The airline has confirmed there were 57 passengers aboard the plane. There have been 6 confirmed fatalities including 4 crew members.
*THIS IS A DRILL*
It has been confirmed that the Flight Number of the Blue Sky Airplane involved in the incident is flight number 1234.
It has been confirmed there are 6 confirmed fatalities, 4 of them Crew members
*THIS IS A DRILL*
*THIS IS A DRILL*
It has been confirmed that there has been an incident at the Grand Junction Regional Airport i.e. Walker Field. A plane crash has occurred. Please see the information below.
This is what has been confirmed:
Airline: Blue Sky Airlines
Passengers: 57 on board
Time of Incident: 10:25 AM
Agency Response: Multiple Agencies working together to respond to the incident.
We will continue to update this page as more information becomes available.
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Please share the following changes to Deputy Derek Geer’s funeral processional route. We want to be sure everyone has the most up-to-date information. Thank you for your help!
Following the memorial service, the processional will proceed to the interment:
Mesa County, Colo— The processional from the mortuary (Callahan-Edfast, 2515 Patterson Road) is scheduled to begin at 11:00am. The public is encouraged to show their support by lining the route, which will be west on Patterson Road to 24 ½ Road, then north on 24 ½ Road to Canyon View Vineyard Church at 736 24 ½ Road. PLEASE NOTE: this route will be for pedestrian traffic only. Please DO NOT park your vehicles on the shoulders of the road along the route. The entire route will be lined with law enforcement vehicles.
The memorial service will take place at Canyon View Vineyard Church, 736 24 ½ Road, and is scheduled to begin at 1:00pm. PLEASE NOTE: 24 ½ Rd from G Road to H Road will be CLOSED from 8am – 4pm to accommodate for traffic during the memorial service. Due to the overwhelming response anticipated, we have partnered with local churches and businesses, who have offered to live stream the service at their location. Although we know the community wants to show support for the family and law enforcement, please consider going to one of these alternative locations to view the service:
Victory Life – 2066 Highway 6 and 50
First Presbyterian – 3940 27 ½ Road
Clifton Christian – 615 I70 Business Loop
Fellowship Church – 765 24 Road
American Lutheran Church – 631 26 ½ Road
Colorado Mesa University (Robinson Theatre) – 1100 North Avenue
The live stream will be web-based, so will be accessible to anyone with an internet connection:
If you do chose to go to Canyon View Vineyard Church, please note that the parking lots at the church will be reserved for family and local law enforcement only. All other vehicles will need to park in and around Canyon View Park or at Caprock Academy. Shuttle service will be provided to transport people from the park to the church.
Following the services at Canyon View Vineyard Church, a processional will take place from the church to the cemetery, Orchard Mesa Municipal Cemetery, 2620 Legacy Way. The processional will leave the church, traveling south on 24 ½ Road to G Road, east on G Road to 25 Road, south on 25 Road to Riverside Parkway, east on Riverside Parkway to Highway 50, and south on Highway 50 to 26 ¼ Road. At that point, anyone who is not family or local public safety personnel is asked to continue south on Highway 50. The family has requested that the interment be private. Please respect their wishes.
Mesa County, Colorado – Shortly after 11:00 a.m., deputies with the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 500 Block of Fruitvale Ct on a report of a man with a gun. Deputies contacted the suspect, and one deputy was subsequently shot. The deputy was transported a local hospital for treatment of injuries. The suspect fled the scene, but was located and placed into custody. Area schools have been placed into lockdown, but the school district and law enforcement are working to release them from lockdown as soon as they can. More information will be released as it becomes available.
As of 11:30 a.m., the Mesa County Health Department Functional Exercise has ended. THIS WAS ONLY A DRILL. In the event of a real emergency, information will be pushed via this Joint Information Center blog.
Thank you.
THIS IS ONLY A DRILL.
Local public health agencies have reached out to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for medical supplies.
CDPHE has requested resources from the Strategic National Stockpile.
Federal agencies have offered and will be providing support through the VA system.
THIS IS ONLY A DRILL. EXERCISE EXERCISE EXERCISE.
THIS IS ONLY AN EXERCISE.
Local health officials have announced that they have confirmed an outbreak of pneumonic plague. To this point, 102 people have been hospitalized and 12 people who exhibited plague-like symptoms have died.
So far, four of six cases have tested positive for plague, a contagious illness that can spread through the air.
Symptoms include fever, headache, weakness and rapidly developing pneumonia with shortness of breath, chest pain, cough and sometimes bloody or watery sputum. The pneumonia progresses for two to four days and may cause respiratory failure and shock. Without early treatment, patients may die.
Early treatment of pneumonic plague is essential. Antibiotics should be given as soon as possible. To reduce the chance of death, antibiotics should be given within the first 24 hours of symptoms.
Antibiotic treatment for seven days will protect people who have had direct, close contact with infected patients. If available, wear a tight-fitting surgical mask. Masks are available at triage locations that have been set up throughout the county.
THIS IS ONLY AN EXERCISE.
