Exchange Club honors those who protect, serve area

The contributions of area first responders and law enforcement officers were celebrated during a breakfast that the Gatesville Exchange Club held to honor those who protect and serve local residents.

Among those attending were employees of the Coryell County Sheriff's Office, Gatesville Police Department, the Attorney General's Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Emergency Management (TDEM) and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

"Thank you for the job you do every day," said Nathan Gohlke, the city of Gatesville police chief and a member of the Exchange Club, a local service organization. "It's a tough job and every day we see the things you do to help our community."

Bob Harrell, the TDEM liaison for Coryell County who has been involved in emergency management for several years, talked about the roles played by those who help keep people safe.

"You do a great job taking care of us," Harrell said. "You guys are the ones out there every day taking care of business and making sure the county is safe and our citizens are informed."

He said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has several different lifelines that it focuses on as part of the process to prepare for and respond to emergencies. These include: safety and security; health and medical care; communications; hazardous materials; food, water and shelter; energy (power and fuel); and transportation.

Harrell said although many people do not think about it, hazardous materials move through the community on U.S. Highway 84 and Texas Highway 36, and emergency management has to be aware of the risks and ready to respond if an emergency arises.

If a major disaster arises, such as power outages resulting from severe weather, Harrell said community leaders work to make sure that food, water and shelter is available to those who need it.

During a winter storm in 2021, the state and the county experienced power outages and Harrell said unexpected difficulties were experienced during the response.

"We had generators on inclines and we couldn't get the propane trucks up there to refuel them," he said. "Those generators were in dire need of fuel. It's all about preparation, and we need to make sure fuel is available for vehicles, too.

"The last lifeline is transportation, and when we integrate a plan we look for whatever resources are available, whether it's school buses, The HOP (regional transportation services) or even reaching out to the military for assistance."

Being ready for an emergency is vital to the community, Harrell said.

"What are the chances for an emergency in our county in the next six months?" he asked. "They are pretty high, frankly, and that's not just a major incident. We've also had wildfires, tornadoes, freezes. It's important to make sure we keep things running as smoothly as possible in difficult situations. That's why I'm thankful for you guys every day."