Community Development Administrative Office:
109 E. Industrial Blvd.
Pueblo West, Colorado 81007 Ph: (719) 547-5018 Fax: (719) 547-2833
Safety Tips for Pueblo West Residents
Life in a rural setting is much different than life in the city. There is a different set of dangers involved with life in the country. Following are a few suggestions for living a happier and safer life in Pueblo West.
Many people own a gas driven weed eater, power drill, skill saw, grinder, extension cord compressor, and many other kinds of laborsaving devices. What most people don't usually have are safety shoes, eye protectors, ear protectors, heavy gloves and user's manuals. If you don't want to test the response time of the Pueblo West Fire Department medics, it might be a good idea to get and use safety equipment and know how to use your power tools safely.
Insecticides, pesticides, and herbicides tend to collect on shelves in sheds, barns and basements. We read regularly about people (especially children) who run afoul of these compounds. The best advice is to get rid of them after you have used them, and to do it according to instructions printed on the label on how to safely dispose of them.
Do we need to say anything about firearms? People who move to the country sometimes think that they can turn the pasture into a firing range. Rural areas are getting more crowded all the time, and so plinking that tomato can in the back yard may not be a good idea. Knowing where your neighbor is and knowing where his horse, your horse, your children, his children and all of your pets are is always a good idea. Stray bullets tend to be non-discriminatory.
We need to consider other facts about snakes. Please remember that there are many species of snakes, both harmless and dangerous, all over South Central Colorado. The good news is that most of them are harmless to humans; however, it's not always easy to tell the difference. The best rule is to leave all of them alone. You should never put your hands where you can’t see, and if you have a choice, don’t kill snakes as they help control the rodent population which can be a definite problem if allowed to grow unchecked. Please be aware that there is already an ecosystem in place. Nature has its own set of checks and balances, and humans are not excluded from it. What we do with our environment can have a lasting effect on you and your neighbors. Please live at peace within this ecosystem and respect your neighbors, both human and non human. We all have a roll to fulfill.
