7:38 PM All Systems SET - PREPARED and READY

Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
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Date: Sep 26 2024 8:03 PM

WIREGRASS AREA:     All systems are SET, PREPARED and READY to serve.

Emergency services which are both paid and volunteer have made preparations for the worse case situation with the pending hurricane.

The command staff of departments are in place, those delivering the services are in place, equipment tested, different situations discussed which could be faced. In those situations the equipment and resources which could be needed are tested, serviced and ready for deployment.

In Enterprise, Enterprise Rescue and Enterprise Fire joined together at the Enterprise Rescue station where they cooked hamburgers and all ate supper together. When in emergency services you do not know when you will be able to stop to eat, if you will be able to wait on your food, or if you will have time to finish your food. But community that works together as a time, countywide.

In Ashford, the fire department has a command center established which will handle non emergency calls for multiple fire departments. Those calls will be those such as trees down, etc. Houston County Volunteer Fire Association has 17 departments. They have divided mini command centers to dispatch several departments to the non-emergency calls attempting to take some pressure from the 911 center to allow the 911 center to handles emergencies only. This method also keeps the main primary channel clear for emergencies.

Ashford Fire new station also has their on weather station to monitor the weather, wind speeds and important information.

Ashford Fire cooked hamburgers and had food together getting supper done while there is calm. As I drove up Houston County 911 dispatched Ashford Fire and Ashford Police to a wreck without injuries. On arrival it was determined minor injuries and Ashford Rescue was dispatched. Unfortunately I did not have time to stay and eat a hamburger!!!

7:48 PM as this article is being written Gordon Volunteer Fire, Houston County Sheriff Deputies and ALEA - Troopers rolled to a single vehicle accident verses a tree, no injuries reported. The accident is on North County Road 95 near Ed Tolar Road.

All of the area, to include the Florida and Georgia surrounding counties, are prepared to save lives and property. The missions could not be accomplished without those paid and those who volunteer. Houston County has 17 volunteer fire departments, and 5 EMS which two are municipal and three are 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) non profits. The EMS have a blend of paid and volunteer. In Dothan, Pilcher Ambulance is staffed and ready to roll all over Dothan and serve as a backup to EMS in the county.

Dothan Fire Department has an emergency operations center that will take over management of fire crews if the weather causes damage.

Wiregrass Electric Co-Op has the National Peanut Festival building rented and many crews on stand by for local and deployment of crews that have staged here to others areas that might get affected.

Dothan - Houston County Emergency Management is apparently in the Emergency Operations Center. RSN has not been there to see what is going on and apparently RSN is not on the email list or no updates flowing from EMA Office.

All hope tonight is an exercise only. While prepared to serve they had rather be at the station chatting and all be safe with no damage.

HOPE ALL STAY SAFE.

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