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Granite Chapter Welcomes New Emergency Services Director
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| Dale St. Laurent, the chapter's new Emergency Services Director, has already been on the scene of local disasters. |
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CONCORD - November 2007 -- This chapter has a history of wasting no time at breaking in our new staff. And so it was with our newly hired Emergency Services Director, Dale St. Laurent.
During several weeks this fall when the chapter was searching for a new ESD, there were remarkably few residential fires. When Dale arrived in late November, he hadn't been on the job a full week before he got his first 1 am call to respond to a six-alarm apartment fire in Holderness. Before that day was done, there was another home fire in Campton.
Dale is well suited for disaster response, having been trained by the State in emergency management. He comes to the Red Cross with 20 years of experience in law enforcement. He retired from the NH State Police, holding positions as unit commander, shift supervisor, detective and trooper. He also worked with police departments in Tilton and Northfield, and with the NH Department of Safety.
"I wanted to give more of myself to humanitarian efforts and decided the Red Cross was an organization committed to that premise," said Dale recently. "I hope I will add to a positive perception of the Red Cross in the eyes of the public and emergency responders, while improving the already fantastic Red Cross response to those in need."
The ESD is a key position for the chapter's work in emergency response. This is the first person to be notified by town emergency managers when Red Cross assistance is needed at the scene of a disaster - whether it is a single-family house fire or a regional flood. Our ESD also works closely with State emergency agencies when there is a disaster affecting many communities in New Hampshire.
Dale's work is ably supported by the chapter's part-time Emergency Services Assistants, Kay Mahoney and Helen Champa, and about 100 Red Cross trained disaster volunteers. The chapter can respond effectively and immediately to disasters throughout our large jurisdiction because of the Disaster Action Teams (DATs). These groups of specially trained disaster volunteers are ready to respond 24-7 to needs in the communities where they live, resulting in a quick response to disasters. The chapter currently has seven DATs, based in Concord, Berlin, Plymouth, New London, Littleton, Colebrook/Pittsburg, and the Lakes Region, with each team ready to travel to any community needing disaster assistance.
Volunteers and staff of the Granite Chapter extend a warm welcome to Dale!
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