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...framed picture of Hurricane Hugo as it was bearing down on this Southern tourist magnet in 1989. It's a fitting symbol, as Graham would later become the focal point of relief efforts through the devastating hurricane seasons of 2004-2005. What started out as a friendly gesture to another airport has blossomed into a nationwide network of regional airport groups who are on call in the event that one of their group is hit by disaster. It's all about bringing in personnel and equipment that will get the local airport operational so that other relief efforts can take place. Today, the network knows who is available to respond, what equipment is needed, and where it is located. At the end of the day, it's about airports helping airports.
It all started with a phone call as Hurricane Charley was bearing down on Pensacola, FL in 2004.
Recalls Graham, "I called Frank Miller at Pensacola and said, 'Look, if you get hit I'll send somebody to help you. So we got two crews together and got them situated and ready. I sent them down to Brunswick and Steve Brian there actually sent a couple of his guys along with them. Then they talked to Jacksonville and they said they'd bring police officers.
"It was kind of an ad hoc thing."
Hurricane Charley subsequently slammed Central and North Florida, causing considerable damage to Pensacola Regional Airport. "My guys were down there for three weeks," explains Graham, "sleeping in sleeping bags on the tarmac. I sent eight people originally."
A month later, Hurricane Ivan would follow suit, again hitting North Florida.
Says Graham, "By that time it had gotten around that we had helped them and so I created a little organization, the Southeast Chapter Disaster Organizational Group -- SEADOG." The organization was put under the auspices of the Southeast Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives, a group that Graham previously headed up as chair and in which he remains active. [For more information on SEADOG,...
NOTE: All illustrations and photos
have been removed from this article.
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