Columbia Fire and Rescue partners with American Red Cross

Daily Herald (Columbia, TN)

Jan. 13--The Columbia Fire Department and the American Red Cross embarked on a new partnership Friday, announcing that the local department will house an emergency response trailer for the humanitarian organization.

The trailer, equipped to help shelter up to 50 people, has been placed strategically in Maury County to provide relief to southern Middle Tennessee in case of a disaster.

The trailer will also be used as a part of Columbia's own disaster plan.

"We are proud to be a partner," Columbia Fire and Rescue Chief Ty Cobb said. "Our job, as leaders in the community, is to make sure we are prepared for all types of disasters."

The four-wheled trailer can be towed by any truck, making it easy for Red Cross volunteers to transport the emergency relief supplies stored inside.

"It fulfills the need for emergency personnel to respond quickly in a time of need," Cobb continued.

The trailer, which has been in use by the Red Cross for several years, originally was purchased with a donation from General Motors' Spring Hill manufacturing plant.

"It can be easily moved to any local, so one of our shelter workers can pick it up and move it to where it needs to be," said Phillip Barletto, Middle Tennessee's disaster program manger with the American Red Cross. "Sheltering and feeding are the two main things that we look for as far as supporting a community after a disaster and this supports those operations."

He called the operation of Columbia Fire and Rescue a valuable partnership to the local chapter of the American Red Cross.

"It has all the equipment that we need designed to set up an emergency shelter," Barletto said. "We are happy to support the local community here in Maury County and Columbia."

Assistant Fire Chief Chris Cummins oversees the city's disaster preparedness procedures.

"Any asset that we can have in the community is a plus for us," he said during the announcement. "It is really organizations like the Red Cross, that will play an important role, if we have a disaster here."

Both the city and county governments have redesigned their emergency plans over the past two years after a 10-year interlocal agreement to fund the Maury County Office of Emergency Management came to an end in 2017.

Columbia Fire and Rescue consisted of less than 90 firefighters who serve more than 37,000 residents who reside in an area of 30 square miles. The department's firefighters respond to more than 4,000 calls a year, operating out of five stations that house three ladder trucks, three engine companies, one medical rescue unit, two rescue boats and a swiftwater boat.

In 2015, the department was ranked as a Class 1 fire department in Tennessee after an evaluation by the Insurance Services Office, becoming the only department in Tennessee to receive that distinction for the department's performance, water supply throughout the city and communication with the local 911 operators.

The mission of the department is is to serve the citizens and businesses Columbia by protecting life, property, and the environment from the hazards and dangers of fires, medical emergencies, and man-made or natural disasters through prevention, education, and timely incident response.

The trailer is designed to be a first response of relief in case of a disasters like a major fire at an apartment complex a touchdown of a tornado or extensive flooding.

"This is just the perfect place to have it," said Katy Hagstrom, the executive director of the local Red Cross chapter. "It allows us to provide the very basic necessities quickly."

Based in Clarksville, the American Red Cross of Tennessee River serves Dickson, Giles, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Lawrence, Lewis, Maury, Montgomery, Perry, Stewart and Wayne counties in Tennessee. In addition to the counties listed, the Tennessee River chapter also serves Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

The American Red Cross serves all of Tennessee's 95 counties. The Tennessee branch, comprised of eight chapters, also serves Crittenden County in Arkansas and Desoto and Tunica counties in Mississippi.

The local chapters East Tennessee, Heart of Tennessee, Mid-South, Mid-West Tennessee, Nashville Area, Southeast Tennessee, Northeast Tennessee and Tennessee River, are part of a nationwide network.

The local chapters constantly seek volunteers to help with preparedness, prevention, and response to emergencies. Volunteers are wanted no matter what interests, skills or schedule they may have.

For more information on volunteering, visit https://www.redcross.org/local/tennessee/about-us/locations/tennessee-river.html.

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