Emergency management reports $225,000 in FEMA public assistance and updates on 911 staffing and backup center

Emergency Management Coordinator Daniel Roden told the Alleghany County board that right-of-way debris removal after Tropical Storm Pauline is complete and that private-property and waterway debris removal is beginning.

Roden said public assistance through FEMA has been approved for approximately $225,000; he said a small portion will reimburse the county for overtime and response expenses, while the majority will reimburse volunteer organizations, rescue squads and fire departments. Roden said he expected those funds to reach the state level mid-October, at which point the county will distribute them to qualifying organizations.

On dispatch, Roden said the county now has an Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD)-certified dispatcher on every shift as of July 24 and cited a recent CPR save as evidence of the team's effectiveness. He described a planned quality-assurance exercise with EMS, in which paramedics will run simulated calls to evaluate dispatcher performance, and he said staff are updating a backup 911 center to mirror the primary center for continuity of operations. Roden also noted his role as president of the North Carolina Emergency Management Association and said the association—ontributed to stopping a state bill that would have, in his view, shifted emergency authority away from local control.

Board members thanked Roden and praised cross-training and staffing improvements across county departments. Roden said he will continue coordination with the Army Corps of Engineers, contractors and state partners to progress debris removal and reimbursement distribution.

No formal action was taken on Roden—omments at the meeting.