Dawn Francis, Town Manager
Four Colchester Technical Rescue Members Deploy to Houston, Texas
Governor Phil Scott, Vermont Emergency Management representatives, and other officials gathered at Colchester Technical Rescue on Thursday, August 31, at 11:30 AM for a send-off event for the Vermont Task Force 1 Swift Water Rescue Team which has deployed to Texas for twelve days to assist in the response to Hurricane Harvey by conducting evacuations and rescues in flooded areas. The trip is being made in response to a request from Texas officials for 100 swift water rescue teams via a nationwide Emergency Management Assistance Compact, which is a mutual aid agreement between states that streamlines deployment of special teams and other personnel.
Four members of Colchester Technical Rescue are part of the fifteen member team travelling to Texas: Mike Cannon, Dave Auriemma, Emily Fitzpatrick, and Chuck Dishino. On behalf of the Town Manager and Selectboard, Aaron Frank, Colchester Deputy Town Manager, offered thanks and wished the team members a safe and successful mission. The state team will be self-provisioned, bringing not only rescue gear, but also food, camping equipment, and other necessary gear to avoid putting further strain on an area already overwhelmed with need. They left for College Station, Texas at 1:00 PM Thursday, a staging area from which they will receive deployment orders.
Governor Phil Scott said, “In the days and months after Tropical Storm Irene our friends from around the country eagerly came to our aid. In times of need there are no borders; we’re all united as Americans to help those in danger. We’re proud to have a highly-trained team of responders like Vermont Task Force-1 to offer Texas during this trying time.”
Task Force Chief Mike Cannon made Governor Scott an honorary member of Task Force 1.
Guidance for Individuals Looking to Help
Vermont Emergency Management has guidance online for individuals who want to help; visit http://vem.vermont.gov/news/tips-donating-and-volunteering-hurricane-relief. Vermonters are urged to follow this guidance, which urges persons interested in volunteering to do so with a reputable organization, not self-deploy to the disaster.
For more about the Town Manager’s Office visit http://colchestervt.gov/manager or call (802) 264-5509.