October 30, 2009 - Mountain View, CA - Wildfires and New Fleet

In the past few months the Team has responded to a Derecho (violent straight-line wind storm) that struck Fredericktown, MO, flash floods in Louisville, KY, floods in GA and we are presently in Southern California working with local organizations to clean up more than 50 homes that were destroyed by wild fires.

There were fewer storms this year then last which is timely considering so many had been affected by the economy. I often think what it would be like to be out of a job with no insurance and then your home gets destroyed. It’s almost too much to think about. After responding to so many disasters the Team is always looking for things to be thankful for and this is one of them.

This past year has been difficult on the Team as well. Few donations came in to support our work. Some of my personal equipment left over from Disaster Recovery Solutions had to be liquidated in order to put fuel in the tanks of the essential gear that had to respond but at the last hour we received help from a few companies that decided they wanted to give back themselves.

I want to give a special thanks to The Pete Store for the donation of three tractor trailers and a building in Knoxville to call home, CAT for their support through heavy equipment, Ledwell for a trailer, Godwin for a pump, Terex for a light tower and Heiden for a grapple. Though 2009 has had its challenges, I’m thankful we were able to bring in the equipment needed to continue our work for the 2010 storm season.

As the end of the year draws to a close the weather often begins to calm. We will not see many hurricanes or tornados striking the states the rest of this year, but we’ll have to keep out eyes out for floods and ice storms.

April 15, 2009 - Mena, Arkansas Tornado

On April 9, 2009, a violent tornado touched down in Mena, AR, killing three and injuring 30. From what I can tell, the tornado was on the ground for about 12 miles and could have been up to ¾ of a mile wide. It destroyed 300 homes and damaged 600 others. The tornado was rated as a high-end EF3, with winds near 165 mph.

The storm plowed through downtown Mena, ripping apart homes, businesses, schools and city hall. Hundreds are without a place to call home. Most Americans in this country are already nervous about the present economic climate and unstable future but this storm has now added to the worries of this small city of about 6,000.

When I arrived I met with the mayor and other humanitarian organizations in the new makeshift city hall (the local gas station) to talk about the needs of those living in the community. About 30% of the citizens are estimated to be without insurance.

I've met many people who live in this small town, and I have seen great sadness. When I look into their faces I cannot help but see the sincerity of their appreciation that we are here and it seems to allay their sadness for a brief moment.

Little things go a long way right now - removing a tree that has crashed through someone's living room; replacing a fence to help make someone feel safe again; tarping a roof before a rainstorm hits in an attempt to protect the few belongings someone has left; clearing a home site for someone who has no insurance. The piles of rubble strewn for several square miles may look like piles of junk to the average person but to these people, it's everything they have ever know and worked hard for. Maybe as we pick up the pieces, in some small way it's helping them begin again.

The team and I have been sleeping at a small church on the edge of town. There are about 50 people staying in every room available. Last night the only place I could find an area to catch a few hours sleep was on a chair in the sanctuary. Between the sounds of people snoring and the achiness from sleeping on an uncomfortable floor, I have not slept well.
But last night as I was falling asleep I could not help but be thankful. My friend Steve Mudd once told me, "Someone always has it worse." Life may not always be perfect but if we step back for a brief moment to think, we can find something to be thankful for.

March 29, 2009 - Fargo, ND Flood

It amazing that during a time when our country is so unstable and many are nervous about the economic climate, Americans still come to the aid of others in need. Even people who have already lost their homes are helping others save theirs.

We have been on standby with the hovercraft rescue boat at the sheriff’s office for a few days now. If there is a significant breach in the levees we will be there to bring people to safety. The sandbagging operation looks like it is working and though the river crested higher than ever-recorded history, it is expected to crest lower than predicted. This is good news for the city. Nevertheless, the river will stay at this level for 3-7 days. Will the manmade levees hold? That is the big question. If they breach, many homes will be under water.

The winds are expected to pick up, which can cause waves that will crash against the levees.

I’m hopeful though! Thousands of people have come together over the past few days, making over 5 million sand bags and building levees that stretch for miles.

It has been tremendous and the good people of Fargo and its volunteers will not give up. The levees are crawling with people looking for the first sign of breaches, ready to defend their homes.

As soon as the waters drop to a safe level we will be heading out, and I think things are looking favorable.

March 26, 2009 - Fargo, ND Floods

Just about six hours before we reached Fargo, I called EOC (Emergency Operations Center) and they explained they were in need of a hovercraft. Though the manmade dikes were holding well, a few people needed to be evacuated in low lying areas and the airboats were experiencing some challenges getting into some areas.

We arrived at 5:50 am to the area they told us to report to – which was a jail – only to find out they decided to evacuate the area due to rising waters. We got diverted over to the sheriff’s office and then on to the public works department where the airboats were congregated.

The First Response Team introduced themselves to the water rescue team of Fargo. We showed them the hovercraft, explained to them what it could do and that we will be available to assist them in any way they may need. They expressed their thanks and asked us to wait with them and be on standby throughout the day…which we were more than willing to do.

The mood was tense because the waters were going to rise higher than they had ever been before. The mayor got on the airways saying, “The river is expected to behave in ways never before observed.” The National Weather Service made some startling announcements about the river and how unpredictable the next few days were going to be.

Though no levees were breaking, I understood the importance of standing by the next few days in case we were needed to evacuate people. Right now the focus should be getting the levy built and then getting everyone to safety.

March 25, 2009 - Fargo, ND Flood

Reports started coming in about the threat of epic floods in Fargo, ND. News stations reported about the great flood of 1897 when the river rose to 40.1 feet. Now, in 2009, the river was predicted to reach a devastating level of 42-43 feet.

That’s not all…Fargo had experienced one of the worse winters in years. Without boring the average person with a detailed weather report, the bottom line is lots of snow and soaked land means the water can go nowhere except stay on top of the ground and drain to the river. To add insult to injury, it’s freezing – not your average flood they usually see in the spring and summer. Freezing water means anyone who gets caught up in the flood waters will be subject to hypothermia.

Sand bagging operations are beginning. I’m hopeful the manmade dikes will hold back the river but if not, they are going to need a hovercraft. There are 100,000 people living in Fargo and just from experience I can tell you not everybody evacuates when they should. If those levees breach they will need our help. We’re headed out now. Looks like a 26-hour trip so we’ll alternate drivers in order to get there quickly. I think it would be a good idea to stop at the hovercraft dealer near Chicago as well. It’s time to upgrade the computer system on the hovercraft so the engine can adapt to temperatures below zero.

December 16, 2008 - National Conference for Secure Communities

I was invited to Washington D.C. to speak at a symposium to develop key recommendations for the new administration. I participated as a discussion leader/subject matter expert for the symposium sharing about the model “First Response Team of America”.

I participated in a mixer the night before the symposium began. I had a chance to meet Lt. General Russell Honoree. He recognized me and said, “I know who you are, you’re that guy from CNN! I want to join your team and partner with you.” It was an honor to meet the general. He is well known for overseeing the United States military response to Hurricane Katrina. The next morning we had breakfast together, and I had a chance to talk with him about working together in the future. He offered to help me build a relationship with the Red Cross and with Homeland Security. I will take him up on that offer soon enough.

That afternoon I presented the story and work of the First Response Team to senators, governors, mayors, and various government and emergency officials. I shared how this model of custom-designed equipment, technology, and experienced staff meets the needs of communities devastated by disasters on day one and in the first few critical weeks after a disaster strikes. They even played a video from CNN Heroes. Afterwards I had an opportunity to meet many representatives from state, federal and humanitarian agencies who were also interested in meeting the various needs of disaster victims.

Yet, I must conclude, Washington is not necessarily the perfect fit for me. I find the more time I spend in the field, the better I will be at finding solutions that work. At that point, I will continue to have proven solutions to present to our country that I’m confident will work.

November 27, 2008 - CNN All-Star Tribute, Kodak Theater

What a night. Today I was honored as one of CNN’s top ten heroes for 2008. Being in the Kodak Theater was a bit surreal – it’s the same theater where the Grammys are held. Anderson Cooper hosted it and Grammy Award-winning artists Alicia Keys and John Legend performed. Celebrities who presented awards were Cameron Diaz, Meg Ryan, Forest Whitaker, Salma Hayek, Lucy Liu, Terrence Howard, Jessica Biel, Kate Beckinsale and Selena Gomez. In addition, Hugh Jackman presented PEOPLE Magazine’s 2008 “Heroes Among Us”.

It was so great to be there with two of the guys from the team, Seth Lambert and Tim Wolkowicz. All three of us sat in the front row during the ceremony. There were so many famous people present and because I’m not up with pop culture I did not recognize many of them. John Krasinski, Len Wiseman, Molly Sims, Ricki Lake, Eliza Dushku, Ken Paves, Leelee Sobieski, Rachael Leigh Cook, Rachel Zoe, Taylor Swift and Robert Duvall were some of the many stars who were there to celebrate with us.

But, I must say, the highlight of the whole night was meeting the other CNN heroes. I had a chance to talk with each one of them, and it was truly inspiring. All of us had the same hearts – we simply wanted to live lives that changed the world around us. We can’t make everything better but we can live lives of change and help where we can with the resources and abilities we have.

Beyond that…meeting Lucy Liu was a bit of a surprise. After the tribute was over each hero was supposed to get pictures taken with the star that presented their award. John Krasinski, who gave me my award, had to leave shortly after the tribute so I was standing alone. Then all of a sudden this beautiful person walked up to me and said, “Hi, my name is Lucy Liu! Your work is wonderful and impressive. Would you like to take a picture together?”


Overall it was a wonderful evening. I was thankful to be with my men, the other heroes, and to be honored for all the hard work that has gone into taking the dream of the First Response Team and making it a reality. Thank you.