GAZ134-150-151-180215-BACON-PIERCE-WARE-9:26 PM EDT THU MAY 17 2012

…A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR NORTHERN WARE…WESTERN PIERCE AND SOUTHERN BACON COUNTIES FOR STRONG WINDS AND SMALL HAIL VALID UNTIL 1015 PM EDT…

AT 927 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CENTERED 7 MILES SOUTH OF ALMA…MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH. THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND ALMA… DIXIE UNION…WAYCROSS…SUNNYSIDE…DEENWOOD AND BLACKSHEAR THROUGH 1015 PM EDT. HAIL UP TO THREE QUARTER INCH IN DIAMETER AND GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR DAMAGE.

REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

LAT…LON 3157 8244 3132 8214 3122 8227 3123 8228
3121 8228 3116 8236 3146 8260
TIME…MOT…LOC 0127Z 320DEG 12KT 3144 8245

05-17-12
21:45 hrs

05-09-12
10:00 hrs

Click the images above for a larger picture

Upon arrival of the scene there were nine injured victims with three major injuries Also there was a hazardous material spill and a victim trapped 90 feet in the air on a tower. The Emergency Medical Service Supervisor Steve Kiser immediately triaged (sorted the victims to the severity of their injuries). Ware County EMS begins immediate life saving treatment and transport of the victims. Ware County Fire Captain Joe McPhaul assigned his personnel to different tasks which included hazardous materials containment, decontamination, and high rise rescue. Ware County EMA Director Jonathan Daniell arrived shortly on scene after the call was dispatched and took over incident command. As the event unfolded  Heartland EMS, South GA Ambulance, Ware County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), the Red Cross and Satilla Medical Reserve Corps assisted in the exercise.

    
    
Click the images above for a larger picture

My hat goes off to all the public safety personnel that responded to the disaster exercise said Ware County EMS Training Coordinator Perry Blackburn. I would like to say a special thank you to Mayo Clinic Health System in Waycross Safety & Emergency Preparedness Manager Tony Walsh, Ware County EMS Interim Director Bill Parham, Air Evac 90 Greg Dampier, the Air Evac 90 crew, Okefenokee Technical College nursing instructor Lori Henderson, Georgia BioMass Safety Coordinator Mike Crews, Georgia Power Safety Coordinator Ben McQuaig, the Okefenokee Technical College nursing students and Robbie Parham that were victims, Ware County Fire Rescue Chief Dennis Keen, Ware County Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Jessie Jordan, Ware County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief David Thrift, Sheriff Randy Royal, 9-1-1 Director Fay Cooper, Ware County EMA Director Jonathan Daniell and Waycross Fire Rescue Chief David Eddins. Thursday April 26, 2012 proved that whatever the disaster is the fine Ware County-Waycross Public Safety responders had the situation under control. The next time that you see any of the public safety services listed above please take a minute and thank them for all that they do.

05-06-12
14:00 hrs

Last week was the final test to see if there was any life remaining in the Honey Prairie Fire. Water levels have risen in the swamp with the Jones Island weather station receiving 1.39” of precipitation in January, 5.15” in February, and 6.41” in March. Even so, the Georgia Forestry Commission Fire danger ratings ranged from high to very high for the fire area throughout the last week. Data from the Jones Island weather station indicated that relative humidity reached a low of 16%. The average wind speed was 4 mph with the highest gust reaching 19 mph. These were prime conditions for the Honey Prairie Fire to flare up if it had any heat left. Fire Management Officer Mike Housh declared the Honey Prairie Fire out on April 16, 2012. The lightning ignited Honey Prairie Fire burned about 309,200 acres (483 square miles) since April 28, 2011.

Thousands of firefighters, refuge neighbors and businesses contributed to the safe suppression of this fire. At the peak of fire activity on June 27, 2011 the Honey Prairie Complex had grown to 283,673 acres and had 202 engines, 112, dozers, 20 water tenders, 12 helicopters, and 6 crews with a total of 1,458 personnel assigned. Over the duration of the fire, there were no fatalities or serious injuries. Firefighters did an excellent job containing the fire within the boundaries of the 402,000 acre Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Only 18,206 acres burned outside the refuge.

Refuge Manager Curt McCasland says that, “We are very appreciative of the cooperation we rec eived to suppress the fire.” Cooperators included but were not limited to the Georgia Forestry Commission, Florida Forest Service, U.S. Forest Service, Greater Okefenokee Association of Landowners (GOAL), Rayonier, Superior Pine, Langdale, Toledo Manufacturing Company, Georgia Emergency Management Agency, Charlton, Ware and Clinch Counties, County Fire Departments, and the cities of Folkston, Fargo, Waycross and Homerville, Stephen C. Foster State Park, Okefenokee Adventures, and Okefenokee Swamp Park.

Recovery from the fire is underway. McCasland recently announced, “We are pursuing the rebuilding of the main boardwalk on Chesser Island. I am confident we can completely rebuild the boardwalk but we will be implementing changes that will ensure we can efficiently and safely protect the boardwalk from future fires. This includes the use of fire resistant pilings to minimize the cost to repair from future fire damage. The well near the entrance to the boardwalk will also be refurbished or a new well drilled and the boardwalk will be plumbed to provide sufficient water and pressure to irrigate around the boardwalk during fires.”

McCasland added, “Damage assessments for repairs to Owl’s Roost Tower, Ridley’s Island Trail boardwalks, the Cane Pole Trail overlook, the shelters at Big Water, and the massive canoe trail system clean-up have been submitted.”

An archive of all the Honey Prairie Fire updates and maps is available at:

04-17-12
15:00 hrs

National Volunteer Week is April 15-21, and the Satilla Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) unit will be dedicating this time to demonstrating to the nation that this nationwide network of local volunteers can make a difference in the health, safety, and resiliency of our communities.   MRC units across the nation will hold volunteer recognition events, in addition to supporting activities that strengthen public health and emergency preparedness.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Medical Reserve Corps, which was launched in 2002 after the events of 9/11 brought to light the need for an organized system for medical and public health professionals who could be ready to respond to emergencies, but also help to improve public health on a day-to-day basis.  During both public health and preparedness-related events, MRC volunteers have the opportunity to work as a team.  And, in collaboration with local partners, these events not only improve the health of the people in the community—often the young, elderly or underserved—but also strengthen the members of the MRC unit to respond as a team in the event of an emergency.

“Our unit has increased the health and preparedness of Ware and surrounding counties as educating citizens about emergency preparedness,” said Perry Blackburn.

The Medical Reserve Corps program began with 42 units and has grown to a robust network of almost 1,000 units including more than 200,000 volunteers in all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia and most of the U.S. territories. Over the past decade, MRC units have helped to meet the emergency needs of their communities by assisting with a variety of small and large-scale responses, such as Hurricane Katrina, the Gulf oil spill, and mass vaccinations for the H1N1 influenza virus.  More recently, MRC volunteers have provided support following wildfires in New Mexico, floods in Minnesota, and tornadoes in Alabama, Missouri, and Massachusetts.

Since its inception, the MRC’s mission has reflected the priorities of the Surgeon General–increasing disease prevention, eliminating health disparities, improving health literacy, and focusing on becoming a healthy and fit nation.  Last year, MRC units across the country reported almost 10,000 local activities that are conducted by thousands of MRC volunteers and have an effect on millions of people. “The MRC has a tremendous impact at a very low cost to Federal, state or local government,” says CAPT Rob Tosatto, MRC Director in the Office of the Surgeon General.  “It has a high return on investment, is value added to the community, and has a direct impact on many individuals.”

The network of MRC volunteers includes medical and public health professionals who provide health care and education for individuals and communities, as well as non-medical volunteers who provide leadership, logistics and other support.  MRC units can initiate and participate in public health activities ranging from flu vaccination clinics and smoking cessation initiatives to disease prevention programs like the “Million Hearts” (focused on reducing heart disease) and “Let’s Move!” (the First Lady’s initiative addressing the challenge of childhood obesity) campaigns.  The public health activities can also help to reduce vulnerability and susceptibility in the community, which lessens disaster risks. In general, healthier people are less susceptible to injury and illness following disaster; additionally, minimizing health disparities increases personal and community-wide resiliency.

Established in 1974, National Volunteer Week has grown exponentially in scope each year since, drawing the support and endorsement of all subsequent U.S. presidents, governors, mayors and other respected elected officials.  “National Volunteer Week is a time to recognize the difference that volunteers can make on a daily basis as they lead by example—not only encouraging the people they help, but motivating others to serve as well,” says Dr. William Parham.  “Volunteering not only provides the great satisfaction of helping others, but also can provide you with renewed creativity, motivation, and vision that can carry over into your personal and professional life.”

Medical Reserve Corps volunteers can have a profound impact on the health and safety of their communities.  Volunteers can serve as MRC leaders,  provide medical care, administer vaccines and dispense medications, offer health education as part of a local public health initiative, provide counseling for victims, families and responders, promote preparedness, and contribute administrative, logistical and communications support.  For more information about the MRC program, and to find out how you can get involved, please contact your local MRC unit at satillamedicalreservecorps@gmail.com, www.warecitizencorps.com or visit www.medicalreservecorps.gov, www.facebook.com/medicalreservecorps, or contact MRCcontact@hhs.gov.

#####

The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a national network of local groups of volunteers committed to improving the health, safety, and resiliency of their communities. MRC volunteers include medical and public health professionals, as well as non-medical volunteers who are interested in strengthening the public health infrastructure and improving the preparedness and response capabilities of their local jurisdictions.  The Division of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps (DCVMRC) is headquartered in the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General, and it functions as a clearinghouse for information and best practices to help communities establish, implement, and maintain Medical Reserve Corps units nationwide.

03-13-12
16:15 hrs