06/16/2026
A sincere thank you to Keith Gunnoe, Mercer County Floodplain Manager and Office of Emergency Management Director, for inviting me to join him in presenting at the 2026 West Virginia Floodplain Managers Conference held in beautiful neighboring Summers County at Pipestem Resort State Park.
It was an honor to share the human side of flooding from a 911 perspective.
When the historic February 2025 flooding struck Mercer County, it came hard and fast, impacting every corner of our county and quickly becoming a multi-agency disaster response. Our communications center experienced nearly three times the normal call volume as emergency responders worked tirelessly to answer the needs of our community. We discussed the many active incidents occurring simultaneously and the tremendous support provided by water rescue teams from Kanawha and Fayette Counties.
Floodplain managers focus on infrastructure, mitigation, and reducing future risk. In 911, we hear the cries for help from those trapped by rising waters, and we hear the relief in their voices when they know help has arrived.
The response to the February floods demonstrated what can be accomplished through partnerships. Mercer County 911, the Office of Emergency Management, fire departments, EMS, law enforcement, DNR, DOH, swift water rescue teams, and our communities came together with one common purpose and that is protecting lives and property.
I appreciate the opportunity to speak alongside Keith and to share how planning, mitigation, and emergency response are all connected. Together, we can continue building stronger and more resilient communities throughout West Virginia.
