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Spring Hill Fire Rescue Squanders Taxpayer Dollars, Puts Residents At Risk

I was a communications officer for the U.S. Department of State. ...more

October 9, 2008

Amateur Radio

In the flurry of news articles on Tropical Storm Fay, one group has not received deserved attention. As the emergency coordinator for Highlands County Amateur Radio Service (ARES), I would like to publicly commend the volunteer members of ARES for the work they did during the storm. ARES provided communications for the four shelters opened during the storm. We used amateur radio equipment and frequencies to communicate between the EOC and each shelter. Fortunately during this storm the only messages were hourly shelter reports to the EOC. We were there, however, in case emergencies arose. Several ARES members spent up to 24 hours in the shelters and the EOC. We also were prepared to provide emergency communications outside of Highlands County if necessary. ...more

August 23, 2008

Preparation For Fay Made Everyone More Comfortable

Floridians who have been here a few years remember too well the hurricane season of 2004. Camping in our own sweltering homes without power and often without water left a lasting memory of that time. That's why so many people knew the routine when Tropical Storm Fay threatened this week. It's also why it appeared to some who weren't here in 2004 that many of us overdid the storm preparation. We're glad we did. ...more

August 22, 2008

Crazy Fay Leaves County Soaked

After it made landfall in the Keys, Fay surged north off Florida's west coast. Then it made landfall a second time when entering the peninsula. Then slowed down. It sped up. It turned. ...more

August 21, 2008

Fay Delivers Much Needed Rain

By 1 p.m. winds were howling across the Sebring area as rain was driven sideways toward the south. The EOC noted that sustained winds had risen to 31 mph and the highest recorded gust was 48 mph. The worst is yet to come, they said. At about 4 p.m. when the eye passes the southeast portion of Highlands County, winds are expected to reach 45 mph and gusts are expected to reach 57 mph. ...more

August 19, 2008

Bradenton: Reducing Emergency Response

The Manatee County Emergency Operations Center has gone from a Level 1 activation to Level 2 - meaning the county is scaling back its emergency response. Emergency officials made that announcement at a briefing just moments ago. ...more

August 19, 2008