Hurricanes Helene and Milton recently devastated communities, leaving destruction in their wake. Many of us feel compelled to help what can be done to better prepare for future storms.
The DLX team is fortunate to have long-standing relationships with organizations and individuals serving on disaster relief front lines. One such connection is Jeff, a highly respected Captain with a North Carolina Fire Department for nearly 30 years.
Over the years, Jeff has built a reputation as one of the department’s most skilled and knowledgeable officers. He leads an elite, specialized team trained in technical rescue operations—rope rescue, vehicle extrication, confined space, trench rescue, and swift water rescue. His expertise has earned him immense respect and made him a key resource during crises.
By necessity, Swift Water Rescue has been a focal point of his career. Jeff is one of several dedicated professionals who have helped us develop our water rescue products and trailers. Their decades of experience are crucial to designing intuitive, reliable solutions that people’s lives depend on.
For 15 consecutive days, he worked up to 12-hour shifts, using his swift water rescue skills and expertise in collapse-building recovery to save lives. His story is a powerful reminder of the tireless dedication and service our first responders provide to protect and rebuild our communities.
A career in rescue
DLX: “Tell me about your career with USAR and Water Rescue.”
Jeff: “We were already doing [water rescue] when I first got on the fire department… Communities based in creek basins would get flooded out, so water rescue was first in terms of capabilities, and then it rolled over into the building collapse phase.
Because of this, we were a little ahead of the curve in regards to building collapse following September 11th. I was one of five that were sent out across the country to get training… We came back and started teaching our own fire department those disciplines… It’s been going ever since and I’ve been a pretty intricate part of our program, both in my department and the state of North Carolina, in terms of structural collapse.”
“Helene, by far, has been the most powerful storm we have had in North Carolina, to my knowledge….there’s multiple landslides and the infrastructure’s just turned upside down.”
DLX: “What are some of the main challenges of water rescue vs structure collapse. Are there any similar skills or universal concepts?”
Jeff: “Obviously, water is relentless. So you don’t have a full understanding of the magnitude that can take place, the force that is generated, the speed, and all that plays a part on how you respond on a day-to-day basis. From there, it’s special skill sets like your swim capability, rafting, and guiding your raft through different types of waters… we use telphers to go across creeks, rivers, or high terrain, so there’s a rope discipline.
When you start talking about wrecks and crashes that take place on a day-to-day basis with tractor-trailers and concrete trucks… you see some of those same skill sets that you do in the building collapse world. Things like stabilizing, lifting… shoring up. The equipment that we use goes hand in hand. The disciplines overlap each other in one form or another.”
“Water is relentless…the force that is generated, the speed…”
First hand experience
DLX: “How many hurricanes have you responded to? Can you list some of them?”
Jeff: “Unfortunately, they all blend together…Our team has been to Vermont, Texas, North Carolina… If we go to another state it’s called an EMAC request. This means the other state has utilized all their local resources and they’re reaching out to other states to send help.
So Katrina, Floyd, Ivan, I mean the list goes on and on. If it has been a hurricane in the state of North Carolina, I would tell you that 95% of our team has been deployed.”
DLX: “How do Helene and Milton compare?”
Jeff: “Helene, by far, has been the most powerful storm we have had in North Carolina, to my knowledge….there’s multiple landslides and the infrastructure’s just turned upside down.
The difference would be at the coast. You have a tidal surge that comes in with the storm and some tornadoes that pop up with wind damage, but you don’t have the devastation of the landslides blocking up tributaries and then eventually gaining the speed
At the time this article was written, the USGS had flagged 871 landslides caused by Hurricane Helene. A ‘flagged landslide’ is one that impacts rivers, roads, and structures. You can examine the interactive map of flagged landslides at this USGS link.
from dawn ’til dusk for up to 14 days.
DLX: “Walk me through a typical response, from the moment you get the notice of a possible hurricane until the moment you’re back in the door.”
Jeff: “As [team lead], I get notification early regarding potential situations. We keep our equipment in a staged area ready to go.
If we’re available, we could be gone for up to 14 days. Command staff picks who’s going while ensuring the city remains staffed. Once activated, we get orders on where we’re going and for how long. From there we move to a staging area. Then [you don’t know] what you’ll encounter. Sometimes you don’t do anything and then others, like [Helene], we work every single day from dawn until it’s dark…We call it Ready Five; basically you’d be ready in five minutes to go out the door.
Jeff: “In the mountains where the terrain was bad and the roads were washed out, we would try to get the rescuers out of those conditions before it got dark. Just because there were so many unknowns around the extent of the infrastructure damage.
[When they got back], we would try to get them showered, fed, and briefed on the next day. Then they would have some free time to try to get in touch with family and stuff through StarLink. There’s no cell phones there, and no internet, and it changes your whole perspective to not communicate as you would on a daily basis. We did that for 12 days straight… and then a team came and swapped us out.
Then you get a mandated 24 hours off for recovery, and then go back on shift serving the city.”
ADVICE FOR INDIVIDUALS WANTING TO HELP IN RELIEF EFFORT
DLX: “For the average individual seeing this on TV or social media at home that wants to help, what are the most effective ways of doing so right now?”
Jeff: “I would stress if you want to help, do not just ‘freelance’ it. Don’t just show up and go into the community because traffic is a major concern. The road infrastructure is so damaged that any unnecessary traffic just makes it harder for the construction crews to get in there and rebuild.
I would say make a plan that is strategic and hook up with a group like Samaritan’s Purse, Team Rubicon, the Red Cross, the Baptist Men, and other agencies with boots on the ground, rather than throwing a bunch of stuff in the car and showing up. There’s going to be a lot of opportunities to pitch in over a long period. “
“Don’t just show up and go into the community because traffic is a major concern.”
DLX: “How do you cope with that on a personal level?”
Jeff: “I have been, unfortunately, involved with a lot of bad things over my career that pertain to people’s lives. You never get used to it. Personally, I would tell you that it’s the group that you work with, the ability to sit down and communicate and talk through it…we do have a peer support group that’s internal.
And obviously I have some support at home with my wife… I really don’t share a whole lot of it with her because I have the ability to take care of it at work. That way she doesn’t have to live through some of the worst of it. But we have a very open relationship in terms of talking about [disasters]. I have my 30th anniversary next week.”
DLX:“Happy anniversary, Jeff.”
Jeff: “Thank you.”
HELPFUL LINKS FOR the North Carolina community
FEMA Assistance for North Carolinians >> CLICK HERE
How to Apply for FEMA Assistance After Hurricane Helene >> CLICK HERE
Disaster Unemployment Assistance Available in North Carolina >> CLICK HERE
Are you interested in helping the North Carolina community?
If you are seeking information on volunteer opportunities >> CLICK HERE
