The term ‘unsung hero’ seems to get a lot of use these days. For lots of societal and vocational reasons that do not really matter here, folks all across the country and the world find themselves called upon to lend assistance in times of crisis and misfortune. How person(s) choose to answer the proverbial call […]
…In our favorite rocket ship, er, field communications unit. It’s moving day today for the gang and other TERT teams, as they bid farewell to their initial quarters near a school, and head down the road about 15 minutes to a FEMA dormitory trailer camp that also provides a hot meal, and (in theory) a […]
The personnel from Ohio TERT are doing tremendous work in taxing and difficult circumstances. The folks of Western North Carolina have a long, long road ahead, and we feel honored to have the opportunity to provide assistance to our Brothers and Sisters and their community. Sending a team to operate on an operation like this […]
Operations are continuing today in Buncombe County. The second Tower on Wheels has arrived and was put in service. While final preparations are (should be) underway for Milton, rescue and recovery operations are very much continuing in western North Carolina. We continue on 12 hour shifts in the PSCC, backup center, and board HAVOC-1. We […]
There’s nothing we have to say about today’s operational period that is more important than the hearing Buncombe County Public Safety Communications’ words to the community it protects: “This is the Buncombe County Public Safety Communications Center as it stands right now. In the midst of sadness, anger, and helplessness, we continue to show up. […]
The team’s newest member has a name: Noah Ash, in honor of surviving the flooding and the City of Asheville, where he came to be a part of the team. His destination is still to be determined, but Noah Ash is in good health, and is most certainly helping to lift the spirits of the […]
Yesterday, the crew manning the ‘Hurricane Hotline’ aboard HAVOC-1 took approximately 1,300 calls. Amongst 4-6 different dispatchers, that’s a brisk pace. In addition, the staff working in the Buncombe County PSCC are also taking calls at an extremely brisk pace. At the conference call tonight, Committee Chair Nick DiCicco said the call volume was down […]
Operations are continuing at the Buncombe County PSCC. The Public Safety Communications Center, the back-up PSAP, and HAVOC-1 as a 311 center are all very busy. The teams are continuing 12ON-12OFF shift rotations. Additional personnel from Florida TERT are arriving, and work is continuing to coordinate a second team from Ohio to head down around […]
The TERT teams from Ohio, Georgia, and Kentucky have split into equally staffed day and night shifts. Call volume remains extremely high; rescue operations are still underway in parts of Buncombe County, as well. Partial water service is being restored in very limited increments. The team now has access to shower facilities in the form […]
Staying ahead of the curve is the name of the game thus far for Ohio TERT. The team arrived last night to their assigned quarters, at a nearby school with other TERT teams. Lights went out at 11PM. The lights came back on for the dispatchers at 05:30 (that’s oh-five-thirty, as in OMG, it’s early) […]