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N.C. Forest Service briefs Wilson County on tornado, hurricane and search-and-rescue support; outlines forest-management services
Summary
Representatives from the North Carolina Forest Service described the agency’s role in disaster response, search and rescue and daily forest-management work, including debris clearing after tornadoes, hauling nonpotable water during hurricane response and providing education and cost-share programs for landowners.
Heather Newsome, assistant forest fire equipment operator with the North Carolina Forest Service, briefed the commissioners on the agency’s role in emergency response and routine forest management across Wilson County.
"We actually aid in all things from natural disasters to manmade incidents, fires, accidents," Newsome said, describing work after recent tornadoes and hurricanes, including chainsaw crews clearing roadways and bulldozer crews constructing temporary bridges for isolated residents.
Why it matters: The county relies on the Forest Service for incident response, search-and-rescue support and ongoing forest-health programs that include cost-share assistance, timber-stand improvement, insect and disease recommendations, and water-quality monitoring for logging operations.
Details presented:
- Disaster response: Newsome described deployment to hurricane-impacted areas, saw crews, search-and-rescue missions and heavy equipment operations. The Forest Service provided crew rotations and sent six trucks that haul 2,000 gallons each of nonpotable water to support communities without plumbing or electricity.
- Search and rescue and aviation assets: The speaker said the Forest Service uses aircraft for patrol and response and maintains four helicopters and six small airplanes available for patrol and support.
- Case example: Newsome described a deployment to Burnsville where crews built a bridge enabling seven houses to leave for the first time in over a week.
- Daily services and programs: The Forest Service offers site preparation, planting, timber-stand improvement, insect and disease inspections, and cost-share programs. The agency also provides trainings — for example, chainsaw safety for Department of Transportation and volunteer fire departments — and participates in community education programs.
Board interaction: Commissioners thanked the Forest Service representatives for the work and asked about an upcoming open house; Newsome said the agency would hold an open house in spring with the date to be announced.
What’s next: The Forest Service will continue incident response as needed and provide public-education and outreach events in Wilson County; commissioners welcomed additional notices of training and events.
