National CALL TO ACTION to Assist in Hurricane Florence Disaster Relief
UPDATE 10-3-18: We are winding down our hurricane disaster relief operation in North Carolina, and we no longer need out of state volunteers. We have enough there to finish training and mentoring locals in their own neighborhood watch.
Thank you to everyone who volunteered to help those devastated by Hurricane Florence, to the businesses who supported our efforts, and to everyone who donated to help make this operation a reality. We could still use additional donations to help reimburse our volunteers’ personal travel expenses.
The email address hurricaneflorence@oathkeepers.org will be manned for another week.
To prepare for any future disasters, please consider starting a Neighborhood Watch or similar group through your local police department. Oath Keepers’ CPT (Community Preparedness Teams) are an expanded version of the Neighborhood Watch concept.
______________________
Oath Keepers,
Get ready to help your fellow Americans in the wake of Hurricane Florence, which is about to slam into the East Coast.
According to weather.com:
Hurricane Florence will lash the Carolinas and Virginia late Thursday and into Friday as an intense hurricane with life-threatening storm surge, destructive winds and potentially catastrophic inland rainfall flooding as one of the strongest strikes on record for this part of the U.S. East Coast.
IF YOU ARE WITHIN DRIVING RANGE TO ASSIST, GET YOUR GEAR SQUARED AWAY AND BE READY TO GO.
If you want to volunteer, email us at hurricaneflorence@oathkeepers.org. (see below for details and recommended gear list)
IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT YOURSELF, PLEASE DONATE TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO CAN. MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK!
DONATE HERE
From past experience, we need funds to cover gas, food and shelter for our volunteers, as well as airfare for our our top team leaders. We also may need to purchase relief supplies such as food and water, as we did last year in Florida. Please help by making a donation!
Oath Keepers did amazing work last year in the wake of the hurricanes in Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico. Now we will do so again in the wake of hurricane Florence. Let’s get ready to go! We don’t yet know exactly where the hardest hit areas will be, but let’s prepare to deploy to the general Carolinas/Virginia/Appalachian region.
As of Tuesday evening, Florence was centered more than 700 miles east-southeast of Cape Fear, North Carolina, moving west-northwestward.
NEEDED SKILLSETS: All skill-sets are welcome, but based on past hurricane relief work, we are in particular need of:
Emergency Medical
Search and Rescue/fire trained personnel
Security/infantry/law enforcement trained personnel
Emergency communications
Engineering/construction/mechanical
Boat owners/operators, especially with flood experience
Truck drivers/operators/owners
Food relief personnel
General disaster relief workers
Chaplains/ministers with field experience
Any other field type skillsets who can help in the wake of a natural disaster. If you want to help, we will find a job for you.
*See below for details on personnel needs
Uniform for this op is Oath Keepers shirts and/or hats with solid colored pants (khaki, or olive drab). Absolutely NO camoflauge clothing! We are here for disaster relief.
Bring sleeping gear, and appropriate hygiene gear for field bathing as well. Anti bacterial soap is important. Hygiene is a priority in a flood/hurricane aftermath environment.
RECOMMENDED GEAR (note, if you don’t have all of these items, don’t let that stop you. We’ll make it happen):
Flashlights and weapons lights
IFAK (Individual First Aid Kit) with lifesaving gear such as tourniquets and pressure bandages.
Camelback or other hydration system
Bug spray
Head-net to keep bugs from biting face
Sleeping bag and air mattress or cot
Personal water filter
Life jacket if you have one
Rain gear and/or poncho
Radio (FRS or Ham)
Rubber boots and gators
Tactical gloves
Medical gloves
Work gloves
Phone charger bank
Personal hygiene items (soap, baby-wipes, betadine, rubbing alcohol, etc)
Lysol and other cleaning items
Spare socks, spare boots, spare changes of clothes (we recommend at least three sets)
Face mask (such as available in hardware stores) and resperator if you can get one.
Anything else you need to sustain yourself and stay healthy – plan on living out of your ruck/vehicle.
DETAILS ON SKILLSETS NEEDED
We will especially need anyone with a medical background for assessment of need as well as rendering assistance when needed. As we did in Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico last year, we will be coordinating our disaster relief efforts with local first responders, including law enforcement.
We need everyone from former medics, corpsmen, paramedics, EMT’s, acute care nurses, and ER techs. Basically if you can hit the ground running we can use you. Bring whatever first aid supplies you have, however please add Betadine and rubbing alcohol, as much as you can.
While on this op, we will abide by all state and local laws regarding concealed carry, so if you want to carry, it is imperative that you make sure that your state concealed carry permit has reciprocity. Long guns,either shotgun or rifle are allowed, however expect to keep them secured in your vehicle unless needed in an emergency or unless we have express permission from private property owners to carry them on their property (and only if the need warrants it). Our intent is to be low-key with a low profile posture regarding weapons, while also keeping people safe.
In addition to medical personnel, we need communications experts (HAM radio operators), those with security, LEO, or applicable military experience for defense against possible looters and/or local gang-bangers who may attempt to take advantage of the breakdown in law enforcement.
As we did last year, we expect to be escorting medical teams, relief supply trucks and convoys, and also protecting relief centers and aid distribution points, as well as backing up local first responders. Looting, armed robbery/car and truck jacking are an unfortunate reality in the wake of hurricanes. While we are focused on disaster relief, the need for protecting against violence is a reality and is part of what we do.
We also need people with search and rescue and practical mechanical/engineering skills. Fire-fighters, combat engineers, mechanics, etc. We will put you to work. Truck drivers and boat owners also will be needed. And anyone else who is willing to help. We will find a job for you to do.
Any questions, ask in comments below on our website or email us at: hurricaneflorence@oathkeepers.org
Again, if you can’t directly help, then please donate to support those who can.
DONATE HERE
Thank you to all our volunteers, and also thank you to all our supporters.
For the Republic,
Oath Keepers
Standing by for deployment with western NC ARES. AUXCOM certified NC, Amateur Radio FCC General, NRAEMT.
Earl Webb, Huntsville, Alabama standing by for deployment.
I am a retired Law enforcement Officer and Marine Corp Veteran. I am trained for flood water rescue by the Miss Dept Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, Search and Rescue and body recovery, . I was trained and a member of our Special Forces unit in Mississippi and went in on Hurricanse and other disasters as a firs responder, secured areas from looters and site seers! I also am familiar with heavy equipment operations, such as bulldozers, front-end loaders. Trained in all areas of Lawenforcement. Certified boating safety instructor and hunting safety instructor in Mississippi. I can come and help but would need some help with gas to get there and back. Let me know if I am needed!
Ex fd,emergency services/disaster LT..ex public safety officer,search and rescue exp,security exp.. can be ready in a few hrs but no way there. Live in north central IL… awaiting response. No job at present so can deploy for about a month if needed.just need a way there.
EMT 2O YRS EXP ER TECH 1O YRS EXP LIVE IN NEW JERSEY BUT HAVE CAR AND COULD TRANSPORT OTHERS FROM THIS AREA
EMT 2O YEARS EMS EXPERIENCE ER TECH 10 YEARS EXP LIVE IN NJ HAVE CAR COULD TRANSPORT OTHERS FROM THE TRI-STATE AREA
I have 13 years in the Army and the Army Reserves, was in transportation combat support train with Infantry units pull a lot of Security have some history with front end loaders, Standing by
Former LEO of 20 years , special courses at police academy Trained in crowd control, Investigations and crime scene control. Trained in hand to hand combat, BB3rd in Hun Gar BB in Win Chun, Master of iron Palm . Was Volunteer Firefighter and certified EMT back in 80’s, NB Search and Rescue ( Designated Tracker) Certified Heavy equipment Operator dozers Backhoes front end loaders ect. ect.. Avid Hunter and Fisherman Have Restricted Weapons Permit. Spent most of my life in the outdoors Backpacking, Canoeing , Boating of all sorts. Self taught in survival methods
Ready to go would just need to know estimated time on deployment so I can get things in order here just a day or two notice is all I need. I would need help with Transportation. I can go as long as needed and can be last boots on the Ground.
I will email other contact info !
These guys are needing gas or transportation- Don’t they know they need their transportation to live in? OK should be more organized than this. It looks like FEMA Katrina. There should be crew tents, cots, stoves, portable toilets, dried food, water, etc. ready to ship and be set up by your response team. Like FEMA, you’ve had ample time to organize better than this. Let this be another lesson prior to another disaster or civil unrest.
It’s hardly fair to compare Oath Keepers with FEMA. They are a federal agency with access to our tax money to pay for supplies, transportation, and paid employees.
Oath Keepers sincerely appreciates donations from generous Americans and we are volunteering our time and efforts to help our fellow citizens.
Amen. This is by far not OK primary mission but an additional way to serve our fellow man.
We still need volunteers in North Carolina for our hurricane disaster relief efforts. To volunteer, please email hurricaneflorence@oathkeepers.org to reach the Oath Keepers in charge of this mission.
I have cdl class a. 20 year firefighter. Can run backhoe.