SUFFOLK, Va. — Suffolk faced multiple Tornado Warnings this week due to the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby, leading to incidents like a large tree falling onto a car on Route 58 west, leaving two people injured.
With city crews staying vigilant for potential storm activity, one might wonder: How do emergency teams prepare for and respond to such events like Debby or other emergencies?
“You talk about a war room; this becomes a war room,” Suffolk Fire Chief Michael Barakey told 13News Now Friday. He referred to the city’s emergency operations center (EOC), where departments city-wide have a seat at the table.
While the public works department may work on clearing roads and keeping tree debris under control, the fire department tries to maintain life safety. Chief Barakey explained, “Life safety in a storm could be different than a normal day on the job. [It] could be flood waters, [it] could be tidal floods, [it] could be streets flooding."
Meanwhile, Suffolk’s Emergency Management Team takes care of the big picture. It works to ensure every department has the resources it needs.
“It’s a collaborative effort,” said Suffolk Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator Richard Stephens. “We all come here to the EOC to work together as a team, where we can work directly with each other and respond to any problems that might arise.”
Stephens’ department also coordinates with other nearby localities, in case they need first responder help or vice versa.
Even though Tropical Storm Debby left little damage in the area, both Stephens and Barakey say situations like this provide an opportunity to make sure the city is ready for emergencies.
“It’s good practice,” said Barakey. Stephens added, “Just because this storm is over doesn’t mean you can’t prepare for the next one, and the time to prepare is now.”