Locals respond to North Carolina to help with hurricane relief efforts
Published at
The following is a news release from Bannock County. Photo: Eric Grossarth and Emma Iannacone
POCATELLO — Three volunteers from Bannock County and one from Idaho Falls traveled across the country to North Carolina to help in the Hurricane Helene relief efforts.
Parker Williams, Karen Trumbull, Emma Iannacone, and Eric Grossarth were deployed through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, a crucial interstate agreement that facilitates resource sharing among states during times of disaster or emergency.
The requesting state covers all costs associated with their deployment.
Trumbull, from the Bannock County Office of Emergency Management, deployed for two weeks to Asheville in Buncombe County, N.C., as a Volunteer Agency Liaison. She was placed in charge of the Buncombe County Donation Warehouse in Arden, N.C., where she managed donations, volunteers, and staff, and distributed donations to local community partners.
“It was a neat opportunity to work with the Incident Management Teams from the Fire Department of New York, Texas Division of Emergency Management, FEMA from Missouri and Texas, and the Buncombe County Staff,” Trumbull said.
Williams, the Greater Idaho Healthcare Coalition Coordinator and the Portneuf Medical Center Emergency Management Coordinator, also deployed to Buncombe County as a Volunteer Agency Liaison for two weeks. During his time there, he assisted Trumbull at the Buncombe County Donation Center, helping manage the inventory of donated goods. He also helped stand up and manage the joint Volunteer Reception Center and acted as a liaison for the Buncombe County Emergency Operations Center, United Way, and other volunteer agencies.
“My experience in North Carolina was very valuable. Being part of such a large-scale operation was an incredible experience, and seeing the outpouring of support for this community during a significant time of need is something that will resonate with me for a very long time. I’m extremely happy I could go and support,” Williams said.
Iannacone, the Public Information Officer for Bannock County, and Grossarth, the Public Information Officer for the City of Idaho Falls, deployed to Raleigh, N.C., to work in the State’s Emergency Operations Center. They assisted in creating safety messaging for responders, collecting data from the disaster response teams, responding to media inquiries, and monitoring and responding to misinformation online.
The Bannock County Commissioners expressed their gratitude and appreciation for the volunteers who deployed during a meeting on Oct. 31, where they presented challenge coins to the volunteers.
“I’m glad we have the opportunity to help others in our nation when we face these kinds of emergencies. Someday, we’ll have an emergency, and we’ll need that help. It’ll be good, beyond having that help, to have people here who have been through it, understand it, and can take leadership roles if we ever encounter that,” said Commissioner John Crowder.