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U.S. Army Reserve responds to Smoky Mountain Wildfire aftermath



Knoxville-based 489th Civil Affairs Battalion assesses damage


smoky mountain wildfires map
Wildfires in the Smoky Mountains destroyed or severely damaged 2,460 structures.
 

 

smoky mountain wildfires american flag
The American flag hangs in place of a damaged park welcome-center sign in Gatlinburg, TN. The 489th Civil Affairs Battalion, a U.S. Army Reserve unit from nearby Knoxville, was in the area conducting damage assessments in support of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, December 5, 2016.

smoky mountain wildfire destruction
The Master Sgt. John Prince of Knoxville, TN, the Operations Sergeant of the 489th Civil Affairs Battalion, U.S. Army Reserve, looks for the house number of a home destroyed by wildfires in Gatlinburg, TN, while completing a damage assessment of the property to provide to emergency management authorities, December 5, 2016.

GATLINBURG — Members of the U.S. Army Reserve conducted damage assessments in the city of Gatlinburg following the worst wildfire reported in over a century. Longstanding relationships and new partnerships with the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) led to a request for the 489th Civil Affairs Battalion to assist in the aftermath of the fires. The 489th Soldiers used lessons from previous Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) training to assess damage to individual dwellings and multi-resident structures in order to hasten the delivery of FEMA aid to the area. The Soldiers supported the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) with four teams for two days in an effort to expedite initial assessments and start the flow of FEMA aid.

Several unit Soldiers and their families were in or near the fire-affected area, making the effort a personal mission for all of the volunteers. On Monday, November 28, Gatlinburg had mandatory evacuations of all residents as the fires jumped out of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and into the populated areas. Fire fighters’ efforts and the weather have extinguished most of the flames, but the town suffered extreme losses of property. The fires resulted in 14 fatalities, the loss of 1 black bear, destruction or severe damage of 2,460 structures, and 191 injuries/illnesses.

Results of the 489th Civil Affairs Battalion’s damage assessments can be viewed at arcg.is/2gsL8tS.


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Published December 9, 2016













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