Colorado Springs, CO
Municipality in Colorado
United States
Colorado Springs, CO assists pandemic recovery by local businesses with Survive & Thrive program
Colorado Springs and Exponential Impact partner to support businesses during each eight-week program. Participating businesses meet with experts during weekly meetings and learn how to adapt to economic conditions in mentoring sessions. Monthly meetings among Survive & Thrive participants share real-world applications of program lessons. The city used $1.2 million in federal ARPA funds for grants of up to $50,000 per business in 2022.
Colorado Springs, CO
United States
Colorado Springs, CO integrates community medical units into fire department calls for service
Eighty percent of the department's calls require medical treatment but not full fire crews. Pilots in 2016 and 2018 experimented with response units consisting of EMTs and paramedics. Each unit provided customized responses to chronic, urgent, and emergency needs without diverting fire engines from other calls. Four response units were permanently added to the department in March 2022 with an initial focus on the city's south side.
Colorado Springs, CO
United States
Colorado Springs, CO finds cost-effective solution to stormwater pollution with Gutter Bins
Gutter Bins are drain grates that filter up to 125 pounds of microplastics, trash, and other debris per month into durable storage bags. The city's Stormwater Enterprise and Frog Creek Partners first trialed three Gutter Bins in 2019. An additional six bins were installed in 2020 following initial success. Colorado Springs created a Clean Water Community Challenge for businesses and local organizations to sponsor the installation of branded Gutter Bins.
Colorado Springs, CO
United States
Colorado Springs, CO Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics trains "ultra stewards"
The City of Colorado Springs is partnering with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics to train "ultra stewards" for its heavily trafficked parks. The Leave No Trace training for city parks staffers and volunteers included day-long science courses and education on enforcing the seven principles of outdoor ethics. The seven principles include planning, traveling on durable surfaces, waste disposal, leaving what you find, minimizing campfires, respecting wildlife, and being considerate.
Colorado Springs, CO
United States
Colorado Springs, CO conducts smart street sweeper and snowplow pilot to optimize fleet operations
City officials worked with Rubicon to add cameras and telematics devices to public works vehicles. Eight of the city's 16 street sweepers use high-definition cameras and GPS tracking to evaluate operational efficiency on each route. Colorado Springs equipped 44 of its 131-vehicle snowplow fleet with devices that track everything from engine performance to active plowing time. The six-month pilot produces data for improved vehicle maintenance and assignments.
Colorado Springs, CO
United States
Colorado Springs, CO introduces smart streetlights as part of long-term SmartCOS strategy
Fifty smart controllers were added to LED streetlights throughout Colorado Springs. The city and Colorado Springs Utilities can program each light based on the time of day. Updated streetlights send data to the partner agencies about energy use and necessary maintenance. Smart lighting is an initial step in the city's 11-point SmartCOS program. This program anticipates innovations including connected vehicles and automated building management.
Colorado Springs, CO
United States