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EMA relies on hundreds of volunteers, each is someone that goes
above and beyond on behalf of the community, and as Fulscher
recognized, most do it year after year. Fulscher recognized a few of
those who were in attendance for the weather training that have
received the Volunteer of the Year, most also had been awarded
special merits: Devin Vannoy, five time Logan County and State of
Illinois EMA Volunteer of the Year; Don Begolka, Ron Shawgo, Lynn
and Tammy Buse.
Doolin has been involved with EMA for 10 years as the emergency
services coordinator of the Lincoln Balloon Festival.
Fulscher said that he has come to understand that involvement from
the business side of the community is important to EMA. Doolin has
represented the private sector and been the Lincoln and Logan County
Chamber of Commerce liaison to the Logan County Emergency Operations
Center for the past three years.
He has also been a part of the Disaster Intelligence Team, which is
engaged when the EOC is opened. The DIT helps to foresee needs and
to brain storm resources that might be needed during a larger scale
emergency or disaster.
Doolin has taken part in the Homeland Security Exercise and
Evaluation Program (HSEEP) Exercise Design Team and Training
Program. This program makes the plan for a major exercise each year
that brings together emergency response agencies, community leaders
and others that would be called on in a time of disaster.
Doolin has shared his expertise in computers, data storage and
business in an ongoing development of a Business Emergency
Operations Center (BEOC) program.
As businesses in our communities are more reliant on computer use
and the data stored in them, it becomes more important to plan what
to do if we would be without the power needed to operate for one or
more days, or if the computers themselves would be destroyed. Notice
some day when you are out in the community conducting business how
often that business transaction is dependent on computer use.
Doolin was also instrumental in the development of the
Congregational Emergency Plan, which supports future religious
institution and civic organization preparedness.
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At Jefferson Street Christian Church, church leaders met for a year
under the direction of EMA to review safety practices and response
plans to various threats from weather to intruder. The plan was
presented to the church at a special gathering and an actual
exercise was conducted to test it last year.
Doolin's business, Integrity Data, supplied proof reading and copier
costs for the plans distributed at the exercise.
The written and state approved Congregational Emergency Plan will be
adapted for use by other organizations now.
Logan County Board Chairman David Hepler joined Fulscher thanking
Doolin, "First I'd like to say there's probably no family in Logan
County that has influenced this community on so many different
levels. And here we find one more level. I wish we had 10 more like
them."
Fulscher had worked with April Doolin, who thought she could get her
husband to come for the Weather Spotter Training Class. A stunned
Patrick, commented, "I now know why my wife was so eager to get me
here tonight."
Later he sheepishly said, "I probably should have said, "Thank
you!""
Dr. Hepler added that we have here, "the finest EMA director and
staff in Illinois." He was sure the surrounding counties and the
state would say the same about Logan County.
And, he took a moment in his closing remarks to thank those who had
come to train as weather spotters, many of whom were first
responders. He said that when the rest of us run for the house,
you're out there. He said, "Everyone who does this is a hometown
hero."
[Jan Youngquist] |
