A big blue ball of fire that sent sparks onto his windshield is an image James Cavanaugh’s won’t soon forget. The Prison Emergency Response Team (PERT) commander for the Division of Prisons Eastern Region was on his way to Greenville after being called in to help as Hurricane Irene roared into North Carolina.
Cavanaugh said the wind was blowing a lot of limbs and trees, which may have caused debris to hit the transformer and burst into flames. He hoped it was not a sign of his day ahead.
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Eastern Region PERT commander Danny Cavanaugh directs
team members during a recent escape exercise. |
That Saturday morning, the original plan was for Cavanaugh to meet with other PERT members and maintenance workers at Craven Correctional Institution in Vanceboro, but he could not get there due to flooded roads. The meeting point was changed to Greenville, but that was not an easy trip either, still requiring a few detours.
“I had to take a lot of side roads and go out of my way to zig zag back and forth alternating between side roads and main roads avoiding high water and downed trees,” Cavanaugh explained.
Once he got to Greenville he and Elmo Meeks, maintenance supervisor, were asked to travel to Pamlico Correctional Institution in Bayboro to assess Irene damage and help determine if the prison needed to be evacuated. John Herring, assistant superintendent at Maury Correctional Institution; Andy Hughes, maintenance supervisor; and Joseph Smith, correctional officer, joined them. The group had to take the same approach Cavanaugh had, often taking detours, to navigate their way to Bayboro.
“It was really dark, rainy, windy and lots of trees were down. One blocked our way on NC Highway 43 so we detoured and then on NC Highway 17 there was another huge tree in the road,” said Cavanaugh.
Cavanaugh described a man sitting in his car off the highway stuck in a swampy area. He had apparently tried to get around the tree, but wound up stuck instead. Cavanaugh says they offered him help, but he said some friends were on their way to tow him out. The group used a chain saw on the massive tree in order to move a section off the road so they could keep making progress to the prison.
“When we got to the prison, there was debris all over the fence. Inside there was water coming down the walls and in some cells.”
He added that they had intermittent generator power and that the group’s recommendation was to get the staff and inmates out. After weighing options, managers initiated the evacuation plan.
James Tuck, PERT commander for the Central Region, was at the Eastern Region Office in Greenville awaiting his directions. While there, a big tree crashed onto the roof of the office building where they were meeting.
Tuck a team of PERT members, correctional staff and maintenance loaded up in approximately 25 buses, vans and cars headed to Bayboro to assist in the evacuation. They also had a treacherous trip.
“It was pitch-black, rainy and the wind could be felt pushing the vehicle,” said Tuck. “The buses were in the lead because we were not always sure the vehicles would be able to make it through the high water so there was a lot of chatter on the radio telling people what was ahead.”
Tuck explained that they encountered no major obstacles along the way unless you count a 75-foot tree that had fallen across some power lines.
“Fifteen of us got out and used a chain saw to cut the tree down and to move the logs off the road,” said Tuck.
He added, “There was a sense of urgency because we knew we had to get to the facility to help with the evacuation.”
The convoy arrived without any serious issues and immediately made contact with Supt. Faye Daniels. The PERT members assisted with security procedures and inmate searches, preparing to load the buses.
The 17 buses were lined up in the prison parking lot with the drivers ready to take the inmates to Piedmont, Scotland and Nash and Polk Correctional Institutions and Central Prison. Nearly 24 hours after Tuck had arrived in Greenville to report for duty, his team prepared for about four to six hours on the road ensuring the buses and their passengers made it safely to their destinations.
Tuck said that at this point the sun was shining and the Department of Transportation had cleared most of the roads. The convoy of buses and chase vehicles all made it safely and without incident.
“This not something we do everyday, but it really made me proud to see all the teamwork,” said Tuck. “I cannot give enough praise to every PERT member, correctional officer or maintenance employee.”