Mount Vernon Basecamp

Location

Mount Vernon, TX

Completion Year

2023

Client

Texas Department of Emergency Management

Scope

Deployed assets to set up a base camp for up to 150 first responders after severe storms left as many as 160,000 households without electricity during a record heat wave.

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Project Summary

Destructive storms downed trees and power poles in seven East Texas counties leaving thousands of residents without power during a record heat wave in mid-June 2023. SLS was activated to set up an emergency base camp by Texas Division of Emergency Management in the community of Mount Vernon to house up to 150 TDEM officials, the National Guard, utilities responders and medical personnel.

The bad weather began June 14, 2023, and included severe storms with large hail, heavy rainfall, flash flooding, tornadoes, and hazardous wind gusts that caused widespread property damage and subsequent disaster proclamation for Cass, Franklin, Harrison, Marion, Upshur, Wood, and Ochiltree counties.

SLS received the notification to establish the base camp on Monday, June 19, 2023 at 2 p.m. The team mobilized personnel and assets and were able to serve 250 meals by Tuesday evening – in just over 24 hours. By Wednesday at 1 a.m., just a few hours following the dinner, the camp was fully operational and ready to accept base camp residents.