Graphic from Owensboro Times
Seventy-seven of our neighbors lost their lives last December when an EF4 tornado turned trees into branches, blew apart buildings and even overturned railroad cars across much of western Kentucky. What you saw on TV didn’t reflect the reality of the devastation on the ground.
In the days that followed, it became clear that we would need significant help to restore our community. If you’re like me or any Kentuckian, you pride yourself on being self-employed. But this catastrophe was a challenge too great to tackle alone. We needed help, and we needed it fast.
One of the first and wisest things our local leaders did after the storm was to contract with a national emergency logistics and disaster response company called AshBritt. AshBritt specializes in supporting communities that have faced catastrophic disasters by planning and delivering turnkey emergency services, including debris removal, while ensuring that as many local businesses and individuals are hired as quickly as possible to help with the to help clean up.
I realized how proper preparation for such events can help restart and recover our regional economy. Local subcontractors – like my company, Wolf Quality Construction – were quickly called on to do the salvage work. Through the determined leadership of our county officials and their swift actions to implement plans and operations, it has enabled me and my company to be part of putting our (my) community back on its feet – turning the lights back on, distributing food, the displaced Giving citizens a roof over their heads and starting major debris removal operations.
Within less than 72 hours of AshBritt’s relief efforts, 27 crews with 54 special trucks were clearing roads and clearing debris from our neighborhoods. After the debris was loaded onto trucks, it was transported to local landfills and incinerators that were owned and operated. As the restoration continued, a Kentucky-based tree removal crew was added to remove damaged and dangerous trees. At its peak, over 40 local citizens were employed and involved in debris removal activities.
So far, over 350,000 cubic meters of rubble and 1,500 dangerous trees have been loaded, transported and disposed of. That’s enough debris to fill 45 Goodyear airships or 100 Olympic-size swimming pools. The massive response continues to this day, ahead of schedule.
In the face of such a massive, overwhelming crisis and catastrophe that I could never have imagined happening here in my hometown, I now understand what preparation means. There was no pre-determined debris removal contract, there was no debris removal plan, and I have seen firsthand how our leadership worked with the right company to help us put those pieces together.
Hopefully Hopkins County and Dawson Springs will never be affected by an event like this again, but the lessons learned have meant that a disaster debris contract is now in place and efforts to prepare are evolving every day. This proves that something good can always come out of something bad.
We are fortunate that AshBritt has proven to be so knowledgeable and professional – and so determined to hire local, small and minority-owned subcontractors who could help our neighbors, our communities and our economy get back on track. As I reflect on the collective strength of our community, with utility trucks arriving, utilities running and homes being rebuilt, there is a true sense of recovery. I’m a proud Kentuckian and proud to be part of the team helping make us whole again.
Written by
Mike Donaldson of Wolf Quality Construction, LLC.
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