Published: September 16, 2008 10:32 am      

PC helps in Ike’s aftermath

Danie M. Huffman

wdreporter2@yahoo.com

Devastating was the word Parker County Fire Marshal Shawn Scott used to describe the damage left after Hurricane Ike tore through parts of south Texas.

Scott was sent to the area along with Lannie Padgett and Parker County’s mobile command unit.

Scott is now operating the unit as a central command center for Task Force One and Two.

The Texas Department of Public Safety lost its communications, which the unit is now providing.

LifeCare Emergency Medical Service had five paramedics, its director and an ambulance respond to transport patients from hospitals, rest homes and shelters.

EMS personnel remain on the frontlines today along with about 10 local Department of Public Safety troopers.

Paul Smith, LifeCare director, was requested by the State Emergency Task Force.

The men left Weatherford Wednesday and experienced problems over the weekend finding food, water and electricity for rescue workers.

Randall Young, CEO of the Parker County Hospital District, said the ambulance runs on electric charge making it difficult to keep it running without a proper facility.

EMS staff found a way into the Beaumont Civic Center for shelter and housing needs.

Smith sent a message to Young Monday saying the mobile intensive care unit participated in evacuation efforts of Corpus Christie Hospitals.

Smith said many areas remain inaccessible with the majority of Beaumont and Port Arthur without electricity and other services.

LifeCare alone has more than 350 man hours in the project.

DPS Trooper Adam Jara was one of the locals deployed with Weatherford’s team.

Jara said Monday night the men were stationed in Houston helping with patrol, road blocks, looters and escorting more than a dozen bus loads of evacuees.

The troopers work in shifts assisted by the National Guard, ensuring the evacuees have food and water before loading the buses.

“Most of them are now homeless,” Jara said. “They just don’t have anywhere to go. They’re only taking what they can carry with them.”

Jara added dozers were brought in to remove debris from Interstate 45 so the troopers could make their way into Galveston.

“There are boats and trees on the freeway,” Jara said, slowing their response by more than an hour.

A fueling station remains active for emergency vehicles and evacuee transportation. Jara said public gas stations ran out of regular unleaded gasoline by Thursday evening before Ike made landfall. Premium prices make another stumbling block for motorists to escape Ike’s devastation.

Today, what businesses had electricity reopened.

In Orange County where Scott is stationed, the mobile unit continues to provide satellite, Internet and planning efforts for recovery by using the emergency operations center.

“In Houston, there is indescribable damage,” Scott said. “This is the largest operation I’ve ever seen. I’m amazed at its scope, size and scale. I wish people could see the gears within the machine.”

Scott was also able to provide a morale boost to emergency workers. The Cowboy game was shown on TVs outside of the mobile command unit Monday evening.

Scott said Monday, workers had minimal sleep since they were deployed last Tuesday, only getting an average of two to three hours each night.

“We’re looking forward to coming home, sleeping in our beds and real food, but it’s good to be a part of something like this,” Scott said.