Specially trained employees of the Georgia Forestry Commission are being commended for their work in response to the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Since the April spill, more than 50 GFC employees have served in an Atlanta command center established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and at locations along the Gulf coast being impacted by the oil slick.
"The Georgia Forestry Commission stepped up at a time when we could not fill all our resource needs," said Roger Boykin, Incident Advisor and retired Fire Management and Disaster Coordinator for the southern region of the USFWS. "The large number of GFC employees who are qualified to respond to this type of situation has been a huge help to us."
Those eligible to serve have extensive experience in the National Interagency Incidence Management System and are certified to staff a wide variety of positions on teams that respond to emergencies including wildfires, weather events, and all hazards incidents.
"The Georgia Forestry Commission provides incident management expertise at local, state, and national levels," said Alan Dozier, Chief of Protection at GFC. "Our people have a reputation for being very strong in these capabilities." Dozier added that Georgia is experiencing a record low number of wildfires this year, which gives the GFC team an opportunity to assist with the oil spill. Compensation for expenses is covered through prearranged inter-agency agreements.
According to Boykin, GFC workers have served in the Atlanta center as resource unit leaders, ordering managers, dispatchers, and plans chiefs. Along coastal regions impacted by the oil, the GFC team has assisted with bird search and rescue operations and sensitive habitat protection.
"Supporting these operations helps our team hone their skills and increases our capability to serve Georgia when called upon," said Greg Strenkowski, GFC Staff Forester. "The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is our partner agency, and we are proud to help our partner in their time of need. It is a win- win for us all."
For information about the Georgia Forestry Commission and its services and the agency's Type 2 Incident Command Team, visit GaTrees.org.
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Showing posts with label resources. Show all posts
Showing posts with label resources. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Monday, November 23, 2009
Commentary: No Turkey and Gravy
As families gather for Thanksgiving this week, we should consider that in just a decade Georgia has deteriorated from average (ranking 22nd) to 4th highest for food insecurity in the nation.
One in seven Georgia households experienced food insecurity during 2006-2008, according to a report released last week by the USDA. The share of Georgia households lacking resources for adequate meals rose from 10.9 percent during 1996-1998 to 14.2 percent during 2006-2008.
These sobering numbers highlight the importance of focusing solutions on combating hunger and poverty in our communities.
How do we do this? Communities across the state are providing support to hungry families through local food banks and pantries to address just this issue. In metro Atlanta, for example, the Atlanta Community Food Bank has distributed 24 percent more pounds of food through October of this year compared to the same period last year to meet the growing need.
Beyond local responses and resources, another important tool is public policy. By thoughtful budgeting and policymaking, the state government and local advocates have a powerful opportunity to reduce the number of Georgians experiencing food insecurity.
For example, expanding participation rates within the federally funded nutrition programs, especially among the unemployed, should be a top priority. Food stamps, school lunches and breakfasts, and summer programs will reach more than one million Georgians this year, providing critical resources for nutritious meals. Additional benefits are available through the federal stimulus package passed by Congress and signed by President Obama in February, increasing food stamp benefits by 13.6 percent and sending more than $650 million to Georgia tables over the next five years.
However, many more families remain eligible for federal nutrition assistance but are not enrolled. Participation levels in federal food aid programs in Georgia range from only 11 percent to 68 percent, and hit children -- the very people who need adequate nutrition in order to develop their brains and bodies, and the ones least able to advocate for themselves -- worst of all.
The state needs skilled staff to reach and qualify residents who can benefit from the millions of untapped dollars in federal nutrition assistance available to Georgians. Although the federal stimulus package includes funds for state food stamp eligibility workers, lawmakers have chosen to furlough already-stretched eligibility workers to address the daunting loss of state revenues.
Moreover, the Georgia Department of Human Services plans to layoff 733 federal benefit eligibility workers in the coming year if the governor requires an additional 3 percent cut in services, as he states in his contingency plan. When stimulus funds begin expiring next year, programs serving the elderly such as the Meals on Wheels will also be in danger.
At a time when more families are struggling with hunger and food pantries are stressed to the limit, we must all ensure public efforts are not diminished. Donations to food pantries are an essential ingredient, but they must be combined with thoughtful public policy and budgeting. Georgia has made great strides in reducing hunger in the past -- we must do so again.
By Sarah Beth Gehl
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One in seven Georgia households experienced food insecurity during 2006-2008, according to a report released last week by the USDA. The share of Georgia households lacking resources for adequate meals rose from 10.9 percent during 1996-1998 to 14.2 percent during 2006-2008.
These sobering numbers highlight the importance of focusing solutions on combating hunger and poverty in our communities.
How do we do this? Communities across the state are providing support to hungry families through local food banks and pantries to address just this issue. In metro Atlanta, for example, the Atlanta Community Food Bank has distributed 24 percent more pounds of food through October of this year compared to the same period last year to meet the growing need.
Beyond local responses and resources, another important tool is public policy. By thoughtful budgeting and policymaking, the state government and local advocates have a powerful opportunity to reduce the number of Georgians experiencing food insecurity.
For example, expanding participation rates within the federally funded nutrition programs, especially among the unemployed, should be a top priority. Food stamps, school lunches and breakfasts, and summer programs will reach more than one million Georgians this year, providing critical resources for nutritious meals. Additional benefits are available through the federal stimulus package passed by Congress and signed by President Obama in February, increasing food stamp benefits by 13.6 percent and sending more than $650 million to Georgia tables over the next five years.
However, many more families remain eligible for federal nutrition assistance but are not enrolled. Participation levels in federal food aid programs in Georgia range from only 11 percent to 68 percent, and hit children -- the very people who need adequate nutrition in order to develop their brains and bodies, and the ones least able to advocate for themselves -- worst of all.
The state needs skilled staff to reach and qualify residents who can benefit from the millions of untapped dollars in federal nutrition assistance available to Georgians. Although the federal stimulus package includes funds for state food stamp eligibility workers, lawmakers have chosen to furlough already-stretched eligibility workers to address the daunting loss of state revenues.
Moreover, the Georgia Department of Human Services plans to layoff 733 federal benefit eligibility workers in the coming year if the governor requires an additional 3 percent cut in services, as he states in his contingency plan. When stimulus funds begin expiring next year, programs serving the elderly such as the Meals on Wheels will also be in danger.
At a time when more families are struggling with hunger and food pantries are stressed to the limit, we must all ensure public efforts are not diminished. Donations to food pantries are an essential ingredient, but they must be combined with thoughtful public policy and budgeting. Georgia has made great strides in reducing hunger in the past -- we must do so again.
By Sarah Beth Gehl
-----
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www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
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