DURANGO, Colo. – It’s the middle of the night. The automated reverse-911 system kicks in and the phone rings. Wildfire approaching. Ten minutes to evacuate. Are you prepared?

Truth be told, even though many in La Plata County learned the “hard” way about emergency evacuation during the Missionary Ridge and Valley Fires of 2002, a vast majority of the population remains blissfully, and unfortunately, ignorant. It’s a situation the Emergency Preparedness and Response Division (EPRD) of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), seeks to address with “What If? Colorado,” a six-month campaign that asks Coloradoans to consider how well prepared they are for a sudden emergency – be it a severe snowstorm or pandemic influenza. Additionally, the campaign outlines specific actions residents can take to better prepare themselves for such events.

Kicking off the campaign was the What If? Colorado Reality Competition, which pitted nine contestants from throughout Colorado – including Durangoans Sophie Parrott and Cameron Adl – in a “disaster” reality show, Sept. 20-23. The various “episodes” or challenges tested their preparedness knowledge. Though Parrott and Adl ultimately did not take the top prize (that honor went to James Amos of Pueblo), everyone was a winner when it came to the education garnered.

“I learned how really unprepared I was prior to the whole experience,” echoed Adl. “I never really thought much about a pandemic or that it was even possible. I never had a first aid kit or any sort of plan of action. I think the What If? Program really gave me a good first step in making some positive changes.”

The reality show finalists were selected based on their video auditions, first reviewed by judges from the CDPHE. The semi-finalists’ video submissions were then featured on the What If? Colorado web site (www.whatifcolorado.com), and Coloradoans were encouraged to vote online and by email for their favorite contestants.

Both Adl and Parrott anticipated hard work and sleep deprivation during the weekend, but in reality, The Gregory Inn offered luxury accommodations, and the challenges, though they illuminated some lack of knowledge, weren’t exceedingly embarrassing, difficult or confrontational.

“We all thought it was going to be a lot harder than it was,” said Parrott. “We thought they’d be waking us up in the middle of the night, not give us very good food, but I had the most amazing suite possible and I actually got to enjoy it.”

Because it was truly a television production, the contestants did, however, learn about the “down time” associated with the process.

“The worst part of the weekend was waiting around for the production team to set up the next challenge,” said Adl. “We couldn’t leave the grounds of The Gregory Inn. We didn’t have cell phones or iPods, and it really is how funny/sad how dependent we are on those electronic products.”

When it finally came time for the challenges, however, both Parrot and Adl enjoyed and learned. For example, the Ready Profile Challenge was designed to help contestants realize that, in an emergency, residents should know where important personal and community information is located. At its most basic level, “being prepared” means having a solid plan and access to the resources needed to execute that plan. Ready Colorado (www.readycolorado.com) offers a template for building a family communication plan and checklist.

For Adl, the “Flu Goo” Challenge was “the best” part of the weekend as special guest George Karl, coach of the Denver Nuggets, stopped by for a visit. Adl, a marketing student at Fort Lewis College, is a self-admitted “walking sports encyclopedia” and fan.

“That was huge,” said Adl of meeting Karl. “Honestly, that pretty much made my weekend complete, meeting the leader of the Denver Nuggets, one of my favorite professional sports teams. It was absolutely a piece of heaven.”

Little did Adl and the other competitors know that Karl had been “contaminated” with mock-influenza - a special non-toxic “glo germ” placed on his hands. Karl shook hands with all the contestants, and following his departure, ultraviolet light revealed how the “glo germ” had spread throughout the room. The challenge truly “illuminated” how silently, quickly and undetected a germ can spread.

“I no idea how dangerous flu was,” said Parrott, unaware of her hand movements following Karl’s handshake. “I had it all down my front, down my shorts, in my hair, on my face. That was in ten minutes.”

For Parrott, who is a director and professional acting coach, she now looks to continue the education effort personally, and has contacted the What If? Coordinators about creating an educational short film from the episodes, to screen during the Durango Independent Film Festival, with which she is a volunteer.

“I want to carry on with this some way for sure. I don’t want it now just to be laid to rest. Let’s take it further,” she said, also exploring use of her theater experience to create an educational program for elementary school children. “I could make it fun, and actually educate people..”

“Just by me being on there (the show), a lot of people who probably wouldn’t get that exposure are getting that exposure,” said Adl. “Your friends hear you on the show and that sparks conversation about the topic that we were dealing with.”

Parrott’s and Adl’s great adventure in full can be viewed at www.whatifcolorado.com.  The site also contains links to additional preparedness information, or Colorado residents can call the Colorado Help Line, 877.462.2911. Locally, San Juan Basin Health Department (www.sjbhd.org) offers information on flu vaccinations and health related issues.

Through a generous donation from HealthONE, each of the nine finalists received an Apple 30 gigabyte iPod, and the overall winner took home a cash grand prize of $2,500. Contestants participating with Parrott and Adl were James Amos and Michael Cox, Pueblo; Mathew Raynak, Granby; Bob Morrow, Walsh; Ken Lewis, Greeley; Kary Rivera, Boulder; and Julia Sotomayor, Green Mountain Falls.