Fire chief named to FEMA council
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Fire Chief Robert Schlachter poses for a photo at Rutland City Hall on Wednesday. Cassandra Hotaling / Rutland Herald |
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By Brent Curtis Staff Writer - Published: October 24, 2009
Rutland Fire Chief Robert Schlachter is used to wearing a lot of hats.
Over the years, the fire chief has also served as the city's Emergency Management director, chairman of the Local Emergency Planning Committee, president of Rutland County Mutual Aid and has served as a training coordinator for hazardous materials and homeland security issues at the state Fire Academy.
Now, Schlachter is taking his expertise in planning and disaster relief to the federal level.
The fire chief was tapped recently to fill a seat on a 21-member Regional Advisory Council that gives advice to the Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator who oversees disaster planning and response for all of New England.
"It's really a part of what I do every day, just on a larger scale," said Schlachter who, along with Maj. Gen. Michael Dubie, the head of the Vermont National Guard, and Barre Mayor Thomas Lauzon, is part of Vermont's representation on the council.
Schlachter was nominated to the post by Vermont Emergency Management officials who said the chief has both the knowledge and experience to represent Vermont and the region.
"Bob's involved in a lot of things at a lot of different levels," said Ross Nagy, deputy director for preparation and planning at VEM.
Schlachter has only attended one council meeting thus far and he said he is still getting up to speed on issues that his predecessor, the fire chief in Portland, Maine, was dealing with.
But since the council serves as a vehicle designed to both advise and give feedback on the delivery of federal emergency services, Schlachter said he will have plenty of input from his experiences in Rutland alone.
In April 2007, the city called on FEMA for help after a violent windstorm known around Rutland as the "nor'icane" leveled hundreds of trees and knocked out power to most city residents for days.
The city also sought federal help in 2008 after heavy rains flooded the downtown.
"I think I have a good perspective to deal with FEMA and to talk about any concerns with the delivery of aid," the chief said.
That could pay direct dividends to Rutland when and if another disaster strikes. But for all the emergency powers of the federal and local governments, the fire chief said people should realize that disaster planning starts at home.
"One of the things that came up at the last meeting was the recommendation that people need to do more to prepare for possible disasters," he said. "Here in Vermont that means being ready for flooding, windstorms, blizzards and the like. People need to be ready and we need to give them the information they need to prepare."
brent.curtis@rutlandherald.com
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