BAY COUNTY, FLORIDA — Search and rescue continues throughout Bay County as local, county, state and federal officials and disaster aid partners contend with catastrophic destruction caused by Hurricane Michael. Reportedly, 2,000 first responders are assisting emergency response while numerous public safety operations are powered by portable cells due to widespread power outages in the Florida Panhandle.
WPDE reported that Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Fire Rescue paramedics Michael Gilbert and Thad Bowman have not stopped working since they arrived in Panama City.
“There are a couple of semis here in the mall parking lot where we are that are overturned and behind me, kind of behind me. Directly across 231, there are two trains that are flipped over on the tracks,” Gilbert said. “It’s been non-stop. You can probably hear the sirens in the background.”
911 Systems Face Myriad Challenges
Emergency officials have been knocking on doors to find people who need help since there is no power for 911 systems.
We’re really seeing a wide range of everything,” Gilbert said. “Just general illness, trauma, they had somebody that was trapped earlier that they had to remove, they used our team, a lot of building collapses.”
Gilbert added that crews cannot work at night due to post-hurricane hazards. “Trees, power lines, it’s just very dangerous to be out after dark,” he said.
According to WJHG.com, Verizon has deployed portable cells to help first responders and critical organizations continue operations at the following locations:
- Bay County Emergency Operations Center and 911 Center
- Bay County Sheriff’s Office
- Blakely Emergency Operations Center
- City of Parker Police Department
- FDOT Chipley Office
- FEMA Office
- Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center
- Gulf County Emergency Operations Center
- Lynn Haven Emergency Operations Center
- Mexico Beach
- Miller County 911
- Panama City Police Department
- Springfield Police Department
- TECO Peoples Gas, Panama City
- Tyndall Air Force Base
- Washington Emergency Operations Center in Chipley
