Heroes Among Us; Being Prepared Makes Anderson County Strong

By Greg Wilson/Publisher, Anderson Observer

Last week tragedy visited Anderson County, as a troubled teen killed his father with a gun and then travelled to the local elementary school in Townville and began shooting at little children and their teachers.

Six-year-old Jacob Hall died as a result of the attack and another teacher and student were injured. There is no way to measure the sorrow of the loss of a child, especially in this kind of incident.

The only solace is the community is not planning a dozen more funerals today, and for that we have more than one hero to thank. 

First Jamie Brock. A 30-year veteran volunteer firefighter, Brock was first on the scene of the shooting, and he acted quickly and decisively, quickly subduing the shooter and in the process saving untold numbers of lives. 

But in the aftermath, Brock refused to take the spotlight as hero, even though it was richly deserved. But he was also right when he said:

“My reaction to yesterday’s event was no different than any other fire or law enforcement personnel who their lives on the line to protect their communities every day,” Brock said.  “The true heroes of yesterday’s senseless tragedy are the teachers that put their lives on the line to protect their students, the principal who through fears of her own did what’s right to ensure the safety of the school.  They deserve to be called heroes and to them I tip my hat.” 

Generous and humble, Brock is correct. Our first responders, law enforcement, fire departments, EMS and others who are often asked to show up in situations from which others a fleeing or attempting to find rescue is unquestioned. 

This does not diminish the truly heroic, life-saving, act by Brock who could just as easily been another victim of an armed assailant with little regard for life. Brock should be long remembered after this event as a hero and a model community servant who puts other citizens ahead of his own well being.

Brock was the first, but by no means the only hero in this story. As he said, those teachers and administrators who put their own lives in jeopardy are to be hailed for their bravery.  

And then there are all of our first responders.

Brock, along with other first responders in Anderson County were ready when the shooting happened because they have been constantly training for just such events for years. He and others who responded share the credit as well at least in part because of this training.

When they arrived quickly on the scene, a plan they knew was in place to make sure all students and the school were safe, the school was secured and there was and orderly and safe way to move the children to another sight until the work was done. 

John Milton wrote: “They also serve who only stand and wait.” And that could be the part of the motto of our first responders in Anderson County. But only part.

The real quote should include another word or two, saying: “They also serve who are making preparations while they wait to serve.”

Anderson County is blessed with one of the top-rated Emergency Services Departments in the nation. Visitors from all over America come to Anderson to witness, and take notes, on the best way to be prepared to serve citizens in times of sudden need. 

Our Emergency Services folks have been asked to help take the lead statewide in such incidents as last year’s Midlands/Lowcountry historic flooding, sending not only law enforcement and logics experts, but accountants and appraisers and volunteers to help organize food and water distribution. Many county employees left home to live in tents to contribute to this effort.

When hurricanes hit (or threaten to hit), when ice storms are coming, or earthquakes shake in South Carolina, you can be certain one of the first calls made is to Anderson County Emergency Services for advice and help. 

In 2014, Anderson County, Emergency Services was able to avert the evacuation of AnMed patients by working with all area resources to keep water flowing to the hospital when a pump station failed and the facility was without water.  

And when two recent crisis hit at once, a major gas spill and an acid leak from a tank on I-85, Emergency Services was able to handle both because they had plans in place. 

A lot of credit can be shared for the ascension of our Emergency Preparedness Division to this lofty place. County Council, the sheriff’s office and other administrative offices all share in making the work of that division a priority and supporting their efforts. At least most of the time. 

(Though some don’t seem to understand it is difficult to budget for emergencies, or that planning and preparation are tremendous investments in saving lives and money during times of crisis.)  

But the lion’s share of credit should go to another unsung hero, the man who has a rare combination of vision, passion and preparation for Anderson County - Emergency Services Director of Chief Deputy Taylor Jones.  

Since 2008, Jones has directed emergency management, unified emergency 911 communications and homeland security services to the citizens of Anderson County. He was deputy director before that and also has experience as a paramedic. 

But his love of this community and attention to detail and planning for crisis is what sets him apart.  

The most recent incident in Townvile demonstrates this. For several years, Emergency Services has been providing training to law enforcement, first responders, schools, businesses and other organizations on how to respond in the event of an attack by an active assailant. Every school district has participated in this detailed training. 

The training, including actual exercises with simulated attacks, offering a plan preparing any group to respond to such an event.  

If you have not participated in this training, the he action plan can be reduced to three things:

1.  Run. Get away from the gunman if possible if you have a clear, safe exit.
2.  Hide. If you cannot run, find a hiding place, locking/barricading doors when possible.
3.  Fight. When you cannot run or hide, fight. Throw things, attack as a group, whatever it takes. As dangerous as this sounds, statistics show that chances of survival increase by nearly 90 percent among those who fight back versus taking a passive position. 

I can write these off the top of my head, not because I have been through a complete training, but because I have heard Jones repeat this information so often to the media and in conversation. 

Working with other groups and agencies, Anderson County Emergency Services has developed plans for natural disasters, serious accidents, environmental threats, threats posed by violence, threats against national security and a very detailed guideline on dealing with a crisis at the Oconee Nuclear Station. 

Many of these plans will never be put into action, and yet require constant update and revision to ensure all parties involved are up-to-date on what to do when the worse-case scenario happens.  Homeland security and the state also requite plans for readiness in times of other emergency events. Again, all plans must be updated often to assure they proper people and groups are contacted and ready to act. 

Each plan required regular and systematic meetings with local governments, businesses, schools and hospitals which are intertwined and dependent on one another. The government needs the community to bounce back from disaster quickly to avoid an economic downturn, and businesses need the area safe and clear to remain open. Everything is interconnected. State and local governments need to work with individual entities to ensure a community not only survives a disaster but also thrives.   

And while planning may seem boring to many, without it, when sudden and threatening events arise, we can be grateful not everyone shares that view. 

Anderson County Emergency Services have long been recognized by national and state awards for their behind the scenes plans, and the supervision of the execution of those plans when needed, for a long time.

The tragedy in Townville put on display this organization and preparation.   

“We had hoped we’d never use this training,” Jones said of the event. 

But because of the heroic action by Brock and important heroic preparation by Jones and Emergency Services, lives were saved and the situation was quickly, safely and efficiently handled; something which has often not been the case in similar events across the county. 

Three cheers to Brock and three more to Jones for following their calling to keep us all safer in Anderson County. 

As former Sen. Joe Lieberman said following the 9-11 tragedy:

“Every day, first responders put their own lives on the line to ensure our safety. The least we can do is make sure they have the tools to protect and serve their communities.” 

I hope our elected leaders - national, state and local - who control the purse strings remember this come budget time.