Following a debriefing about flash floods that damaged homes in the Old West End last summer, Tina Skeldon Wozniak, president of the Lucas County commissioners, felt more could be done to respond quickly to disasters that affect small numbers of people.

Bill Kitson, president and chief executive officer of the United Way of Greater Toledo, was at that same debriefing and felt the same way.

Ms. Wozniak and Mr. Kitson shared their thoughts with one another that day, and discussed the beginnings of what will be announced today - a new county incident assessment team that will help provide more immediate assistance to those affected by small-scale calamities.

Ms. Wozniak said when a tornado touches down or flooding occurs in large portions of the county, the Emergency Management Agency immediately swings into action.

But when a particular neighborhood or a township is damaged by inclement weather or other forces, services are often slow to reach those areas because of a lack of a coordinated effort among elected leaders and first responders.

"There's been a number of incidents in the county where there was a great deal of damage in a particular neighborhood and resources were needed," Ms. Wozniak said. "Those resources weren't provided in a timely matter, and I wanted that corrected."

The incident assessment team includes county Administrator Mike Beazley and/or the commissioners, Sheriff James Telb, Emergency Services Director Bill Halsey, and Engineer Keith Earley.

Also included are the public safety director or chief executive officer for the affected jurisdiction, the chief law and fire officials from that area, Tim Yenrick, executive director of the Greater Toledo Area Chapter of the American Red Cross, and Mr. Kitson.

The National Weather Service in Cleveland will participate as needed, and Ms. Wozniak said City of Toledo officials often will be involved.

Ms. Wozniak said each of the county's political jurisdictions has been contacted about the incident assessment team, which she said is an extension of the county's disaster-response protocol.

If any of these team members becomes aware of a potential disaster situation, it is to notify Mr. Halsey, who will determine whether to call the team into action at the county's Emergency Operations Center.

Mr. Kitson said that procedure will enable county officials to respond to the situation as quickly as if it were an obvious, wide-ranging disaster.

"What was happening was when these emergencies were popping up, people didn't know where to go for help," Mr. Kitson said. "Now when that moment happens, the people who know the answers to those questions will all be in a room together."

Ms. Wozniak said the assessment team not only will provide affected residents with more rapid relief, but also will be able to produce correct information to media outlets on where people should go or call for additional help.

Mr. Halsey said the new team provides a formalized plan to respond to emergencies that are less obvious.

"When those floods hit the Old West End, I live in South Toledo and it was sunny where I live," he said. "I didn't even know it was raining over there."

Contact Joe Vardon at:

jvardon@theblade.com

or 419-410-5055.

First Published November 15, 2007, 12:33 p.m.