Emergency Management

Rickey Stokes

Viewed: 5609

Posted by: RStokes
Date: Jul 02 2017 11:48 PM

DOTHAN - HOUSTON COUNTY:   Last evening while "volunteering" his time at the National Peanut Festival Fireworks show Houston County Sheriff 911 notified EMA Director Chris Judah of persons lost on the Little Chocktohatchee.

Judah was taking with Houston County Sheriff Patrol Lt. Tony Turner at the time of the call. They discussed the information provided by the Sheriff 911 Center.

NOTE:  The Houston County Sheriff 911 Center did a fantastic job in obtaining the information from the lost persons, and coordinating that information for the responding emergency personnel.

EMA Director Judah and Lt. Turner went to the Dale County Sheriff Helicopter which was at the fireworks show for display. They got with Tim McDonald of the Dale County Sheriff Department that pilots the air unit. The information was discussed and the information the Sheriff 911 Center had obtained.

UP - UP and AWAY McDonald and a Dothan Police Officer went into the air traveling towards Holland Road in the Wicksburg Community.

Judah and Turner then started the task to exit with some 5,000 cars moving in and out of the fairgrounds to respond on the ground.

Houston County Sheriff Deputies Grantham and Hopkins had the Sheriff Department four wheelers. They took off, gassed them up and responded to Holland Road.

On the scene Turner, Judah, Hopkins and Grantham started the ground search area and in coordination with the lost persons, the Communications Staff and the air unit located the three lost persons.

EMA Director Judah had contacted 45 year member of Wicksburg Fire, Baxter Etheridhe at the time of the call. Baxter talked with dispatch and responded. He knows the area well and the residents and is a valuable asset in the Wicksburg community. Judah also contacted Wicksburg Fire - Rescue and had them respond to stand by. A wise decision in that the victims were in mosquitos for about 3 hours.

The ending you want to a situation of this type. Everyone safe.

DOTHAN - HOUSTON COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Last evening a Deputy made a comment that stuck with me. It is great that the first time in a long - long time Dothan - Houston County actually has a working Emergency Management. And that is in Chris Judah since he hit the ground working in January. The deputy said Houston County has not had a functional EMA in years.

Look at the first picture. It is the logo for Dothan - Houston County Emergency Management. A lot of people think EMA is only weather. Look at the logo. No where does it read "weather man".

Now weather is a function of what... "EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT". A agency that plans for events...all types of events, and coordinates resources for the emergency rsponders. EMA anticipates different types of incidents, and plans to make them run efficient in order to save lives and property.

In the county Emergency Management is more of a "response resource management" responding with the great volunteer men and women in this county who give of their time, money, energy and resources to serve their community.

So the role of an incident inside the City of Dothan who has paid fireman and EMS is different than in the county. Yet when responding in the county, EMA is not there to "take over" but to work with the volunteers in making sure their needs are met. To support the volunteer men and women in their management of the emergency.

And often times that support means, rolling up your sleeves and getting dirty. Last evening Judah was covered in mud.

Today Judah was in a fireman outfit along with the volunteer men and women actively fighting the fire. Last evening Judah was volunteering his time helping the National Peanut Festival for the public's enjoyment of the firework show.

The Dothan - Houston County Emergency Management Director is also the Alabama Homeland Security Director. A lot of resources which come via grants come through the Emergency Management Office.

A lot of other things. So...the EMA office is not a weather station or weatherman. But weather is included in the planning and EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT in coordination with all agencies to make sure that all citizens throughout Houston County are protected.

Always remember this:  "Houston County" is not in Dothan. "Dothan is in Houston County". So when Houston County is mentioned, it includes every square inch of Houston County.

Chris Judah's motto: " HOUSTON COUNTY STRONG". He is taking a office that is decades behind building it to where it needs to be in order to make each and every person safer. And Judah is working with all agencies to know the resources available in seconds, and have them available.

Judah is on the move, active and involved for the betterment of this county.

NOTE:  Houston County is off Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

Judah has worked Friday, Saturday and Sunday so far.

The pictures are Judah in action the last couple of days.

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