ADR Command 1
COMMAND1. THIS 24 FOOT LONG TRAILER WAS BUILT BY DONALD PLEASANTS OF SOUTHEASTERN EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT. THIS UNIT WAS DONATED BY THE CAFE FEAR FOUNDATION OF SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA IN WILMINGTON, N.C. EXECTIVE DIRECTOR STEVE DILLION AND PASTOR BILL HATTOCK, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER HIGHLY DEDICATED MEMBERS ON THIS BOARD, WERE THE ONES TO DONATE THIS VALUABLE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. THIS DONATION WAS A RESULT OF THE RIEGELWOOD TORNADO, WHICH KILLED 8 CITIZENS, ONE OF THEM BEING FIREFIGHTER/EMT-B MICHEAL BROWNE, WITH THE TORNADO WOUNDING 20 CITIZENS. THAT MORNING, SHORTLY AFTER 9 AM, THE FOUNDATION STARTED RECEIVING DONATIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY, STATE AND NATION, TOTALING NEARLY $100,000 DOLLARS. THE COMMITTTEE IN MONTHS TO COME, MET WITH FIRE CHIEF STEVE CAMLIN, TO GAIN APPROVAL FROM BOTH BOARDS, TO CREATE AND ACCEPT THIS BLESSING FROM GOD, TO BE GIVEN TO THE DEPARTMENT, HOPEFULLY, NEVER TO BE USED AGAIN, BUT IF NEED BE, THEY WOULD HAVE THE PROPER AND ADDITONAL EQUIPMENT. ADDITIONAL FUNDS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE RIEGELWOOD FEDERAL CREDIT UNIT, TOTALING OVER $14,000 DOLLARTS AND THIS ADDED THE EXCELLENT COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT AND COMPUTER SYSTEM. THE TRAILER CARRIES ENOUGH EQUIPMENT TO TREAT 100 WALKING WOUNDED, 15 TRAUMA ADULTS AND 5 TRAUMA PEDIATRICS. IT HAS A 15KW GENERATOR THAT CAN POWER UP THE UNIT, THAT ALSO HAS AN A/C-HEATER UNIT. IT CARRIED THE HONDA 4X4 ATV, BUT WAS MOVED TO THE GATOR TRAILER FOR ADDITIONAL ROOM. IN THE REAR, IS THE ALL TERRAIN TRAILER THAT HOOKS TO EITHER THE GATOR OR THE HONDA ATV. ALSO, THE REAR INCORPORATES OXYGEN, IN "M" SIZE CYLINDERS WHICH FEEDS A MANIFOLD, WHICH WILL IN TURN, GIVEN CANNULA OR NON-REBREATHER OXYGEN TO 10 PATIENTS AT ONE TIME. ALSO, ADDITIONAL OXYGEN IS GIVEN IN INDIVIDUAL OXYGEN BAGS FOR FIELD TREATMENTS. THERE ARE ALSO (25) TRAUMA BAGS ON THE UNIT THAT IS HANDED OUT FROM THE REAR ACCESS PLATFORM. THE UNIT HAS (2) 500 WATT TELESCOPING LIGHTS ON THE FRONT, BATTERY SHORELINE AUTO CHARGE AND SPARE GAS CAN FOR GENERATOR REFUELING. THE FRONT OF THE UNIT IS A BACK UP 911 DISPATCH CENTER FOR COLUMBUS COUNTY IF NEED BE. IT CAN EFFECTIVELY PAGE OUT ALL OF COLUMBUS COUNTIES DEPARTMENTS TO THEIR PRIVATE TONES. IT INCORPORATES UHF, VHF AND 800 MH RADIO TRAFFIC. IT ALSO HAS (20) SURVIVOR LIGHTS FOR NIGHT TIME PERSONNAL USE. COLLAPSABLE DESK, DRY ERASE BOARD FOR WRITTING DURING INCIDENTS, AS WELL AS A COMPUTER SYSTEM WITH AIR CARD TO KEEP UP WITH LATEST NEWS, WEATHER BULLENTINS OR COMMUNICATIONS WITH COUNTY AND STATE AGENCIES. UP TOP, IS THE VIEWING PLATFORM WITH A DETACHABLE LADDER, WHICH IS NEATLY KEPT IN THE REAR OF THE UNIT. ALL OF THE TRAUMA SUPPLIES ARE KEPT IN DIFFERENT COLOR TOTES, IDENTIFYING WHAT MEDICAL SUPPLIES THEY OFFER. THE DONATION WAS STRONGLY SUPPORTED BY AREA CHURCHES AND ITS PASTORS, WITH OUTSTANDING PASTORS BILL HATTOCK FROM WRIGHTSBORO METHODIST CHURCH, PASTOR BILL ALTMAN AND HIS WIFE RUTH, FROM RIEGELWOOD METHODIST CHURCH, PASTOR CHARLES HESTOR FROM RIEGELWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER PASTORS AND ITS CHURCH REPRESENTATIVES. PART OF THE FUNDS LEFT OVER FROM THE CFFSNC DONATION, WAS GIVEN TO THE COLUMBUS COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES OFFICE, WITH APPROVAL FROM THE COMMISSIONERS, FOR A (3) YEAR TERM OF A PURCHASE OF THE 911 CODE RED CALL BACK SYSTEM, TO AID CITIZENS OF ANY FUTURE SEVERE WEATHER WARNINGS..
