Introduction
The TERT team at Chagrin Valley Dispatch, Cleveland, Ohio, knows what it means to shift on the fly. From their mobile command bus 22 individuals over 30 days helped Buncombe County, North Carolina, offload thousands of 9-1-1 calls in the tragic aftermath of Hurricane Helene. This is about ‘being there for each other’ on steroids.
The story
TERT, Telecommunicator Emergency Response Taskforce, is a specially trained team to provide mutual aid response in the aftermath of disasters and other extraordinary events. Led by Nick DiCicco, the Executive Director of Chagrin Valley Dispatch in Bedford, Ohio, and the Ohio TERT state coordinator, 22 courageous and unselfish individuals from the Chagrin Valley center and the state of Ohio, stepped up to offer their assistance to the residents of Buncombe County, North Carolina, after Hurricane Helene.
Working 12 hour shifts for 30 days, the Chagrin Valley dispatchers delivered a lifeline to those who had lost everything—infrastructure, food, clothing, power, and desperately searching for loved ones. “When we answered the calls,” Nick shares, “the first thing we said, instead of 9-1-1 what’s your emergency, was – hurricane relief, how can I help you. People couldn’t speak for the first 30 to 45 seconds because they were crying so hard.”
The TERT team answered calls from the Chagrin Valley mobile unit, HAVOC 1, which normally operates as the backup for the center. It has six full VESTA call handling positions. “Anything we do in the dispatch center,” explains Nick, “we can do inside HAVOC 1.”
Making it work
Bunkham County established a 10-digit phone number for everyone throughout the county to call. Nick recounts that during the first four days of their temporary shelter in a tent, they witnessed the community’s needs firsthand. “This is what prompted me to contact Motorola and tell them what I needed.” Brian Saluga, Senior Field Engineer at Motorola created a new call queue that only rang in HAVOC 1. Then Buncombe County took their 10-digit phone number, forwarded it to HAVOC 1, and it rang at all six of the VESTA workstations.
“I helped implement their VESTA system last year,” explains Brian, “so I had background knowledge of HAVOC 1. I spoke with Brian to look at the options for what he wanted. Working remotely we had a solution up and running in less than twenty-four hours. I was glad I could help out and get them what they needed.”
Nick says the team took in excess of 1,300 calls in a twenty-four hour period. Nick, who has dedicated his life to public safety since he was fifteen years old, emphasizes that the word “no” is not part of his vocabulary. He deeply loves his country and believes this was the right course of action to support these individuals.
A glimmer of hope
Amidst the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, a glimmer of hope emerged in the form of Noah Ash, the dog that brought smiles and hope to the people of Buncombe County.
Noah Ash
Nick shares a heartwarming story about a teammate who encountered a man with a crate of six puppies while shopping for supplies. The man was distraught, having lost everything and the puppies hadn’t eaten in days. Nick’s team found homes for all the puppies, including the one they kept and named Noah Ash. Noah Ash has since become the Ohio TERT’s mascot and has a huge social media following. Nick says he will be at the national public safety conferences.
The experience of the Buncombe County deployment, Nick believes, will enhance the understanding of the daily challenges faced by telecommunicators and contribute to the reclassification of this demanding and essential profession. “It goes to show we truly are the first, first responders.”
To the dedicated dispatchers of Chagrin Valley and Ohio TERT, who voluntarily took time away from their families to assist their distant neighbors in distress, we express our deepest gratitude for your unwavering dedication and commitment. Thank you for your invaluable contributions.
To learn more go to www.motorolasolutions.com/ng911
