Words of comfort
We’ve said that life goes on despite the disaster. And unfortunately, that held true for one of our team members, who had to fly home to tend to an emergent matter. The entire team is sending our best wishes as they navigate the next little while. The notes of support and comfort that were received have really come to symbolize what this deployment has meant to everyone on the team – unity and strength. The team has worked with local telecommunicators from Buncombe County, and with folks from other TERT teams across the country. Everyone has assisted where they can, and how they can. That is the goal of the NJTI program, and the mission of OH-TERT. But seeing the outpouring of support, seeing it in action – in a reverse flow of how it has been working (that is, one of our personnel being comforted by the folks we’re here to help) was an unexpected, and humbling, gesture. But, really, that’s how dispatchers roll with each other. The patch and logo do not matter. We all know the same job, the same emotions, and the same toll.
At the mess tent
Team 2 and the (2) personnel from Team 1 along with team leader Nick DiCicco (and Noah-Ashe) will be working their last shifts Monday and Tuesday, as the mission concludes. A 2-person logistics crew will again drive down on Tuesday to help shepherd the team home on Wednesday. This by no means signals the end of operations in the area. Many agencies and organizations remain in the area, and will continue to provide service for the foreseeable future. OH-TERT and the other teams that arrived a month ago were dispatched to help with immediate relief for the Bumbombe County PSCC. We feel that mission has reasonably been accomplished. But many other recovery missions and tasks remain in progress. It is likely that additional TERT personnel from other states will also deploy.
As some of the goodbyes start, our belief and hope is that OH-TERT 1 and 2 have been able to provide assistance for Buncombe County and Asheville, and the Buncombe County PSCC. Their personnel represent the very best of Western North Carolina; we are honored to have had the chance to help them.