DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, Fla. – When there’s a major emergency, it’s not just the first responders who answer the call – hundreds are working behind the scenes coordinating efforts.
On Wednesday, FEMA met with that group in Volusia County for scenario training. News 6 was there to see it firsthand.
The team met at Volusia’s Emergency Operations Center and reacted to the hypothetical scenario that a large building collapsed in Daytona Beach Shores.
“Almost all of our cities are here, we’ve got county officials from fire, law enforcement, public works, beach, etc., state partners and FEMA folks,” Volusia’s Emergency Management Director Clint Mecham said.
These teams learned from FEMA to react quickly and efficiently if this happened.
The goal is to make sure we’re coordinating resources in an efficient manner and quickly to be able to save lives, preserve property and the environment,” FEMA training specialist James Greenshields said.
Back in 2022, dozens of condo complexes in Volusia were emergency evacuated during Hurricane Nicole because they were deemed unsafe and at risk of collapse due to the storm surge eating away at their foundations. Thankfully, there was no full collapse, but several buildings lost parts and there were some very close calls.
“A building collapse is something that could happen because of something Mother Nature has a hurricane, tornado or it can be a terroristic type event,” Mecham said.
FEMA chose Volusia as one of its 12 emergency response groups nationwide for this training, so they’ll be one of the most efficient teams to respond if it happens.
“As we learn and develop new skills, as we identify gaps, as we try to improve our skillsets here, we’re doing it together as a whole community so we can minimize the impact on our citizens,” Mecham said.
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