THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 29, 1995 TAG: 9501290062
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CURRITUCK LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
Soldiers wearing green and red berets are coming to Currituck County this week to help defend against Mother Nature.
About 40 uniformed Army officers and enlisted personnel will spend Tuesday through Thursday interviewing people and assessing property that may be usedduring disasters, especially hurricanes.
The group might generally go unnoticed in the sprawling county, but Army officials admit their presence sometimes prompts a wary look from locals.
``When we walk in to ask them questions, they sometimes look at us and say, `Okaaaay. What are you doing here?' '' said Sgt. First Class Charlie Cheysobhon in a telephone interview from Fort Bragg in Fayetteville.
The Fort Bragg people will help Currituck County officials prepare an emergency services plan by identifying ``critical facilities'' needed during disasters.
Buildings such as schools, water plants and health departments will be examined to see how well they'd withstand a countywide catastrophe.
An inventory of public and private resources that would be vital during disasters also will be made.
In turn, the soldiers will use Currituck County as a training ground, honing their civil skills and better understanding local and state governments.
``We've heard that it saves the county a little bit of money in consulting fees, and we hope it's true,'' said Maj. Robert T. Shaw, one of this week's coordinators. ``It also adds to our training that we have here at Fort Bragg.''
The soldiers are students of a civil affairs school at Fort Bragg's John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center.
Most are from the 96th Civil Affairs Battalion, the only active-duty military unit of its kind in the country, Shaw said.
Dealing with disasters - both preparation and relief - is a main part of their mission.
The Army has done similar surveys in Nash, Franklin and, most recently, Pasquotank counties.
``They didn't need to, but they were nice enough to give us a party,'' Cheysobhon said of the reception in Elizabeth City.
The Fort Bragg crew will be housed at the National Guard Armory in Elizabeth City and use the Crawford Volunteer Fire Department as a headquarters.
The group will be divided into several teams serving Knotts Island/Gibbs Woods, the Outer Banks and mainland sites.
``I don't think it's going to bother the community at all,'' said Donnie Beacham, the county's director of emergency services.
Beacham first approached County Manager Bill Richardson to promote Currituck County as a candidate through the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management office in Washington, which oversees 15 northeastern counties.
``They suggest a county that needs the most help,'' Cheysobhon said.
Four areas statewide are selected each year, he added.
Beacham said the information gathered this week will be used to help the coastal county handle disasters.
The emergency services director asked local residents and businesses wishing to offer special skills or resources, such as foreign-language proficiency or heavy equipment, to call 232-2115.
``Fortunately, Currituck County has not been affected by a major storm in quite a long time,'' Beacham said, citing Hurricane Hazel in the 1950s as the last major natural disaster to hit the entire county.
``I think we're all aware that we're way overdue.'' by CNB