HILLSBORO, Ohio — A veteran-led disaster response organization will send volunteers into Highland County on Thursday to assess property damage from last week’s severe storms, the county’s emergency management agency said, as officials continue tallying the toll from downed trees and power lines across the county.
UPDATE (Aug. 12, 7:18 p.m.): This story has been updated with additional information from the Highland County Emergency Management Agency.
Team Rubicon USA, a nonprofit organization made up largely of military veterans that responds to disasters nationwide, will have an assessment team in the county Thursday, the Highland County Emergency Management Agency said in a Facebook post. The agency asked residents to give a “warm welcome” to the organization’s volunteers, known within the group as “Greyshirts,” if they are seen going door to door or surveying property in the area.
The EMA said Team Rubicon’s assessments will help local officials understand the full impact of the storms and plan the county’s next steps for recovery. The agency said it expects to share more updates as the assessments continue.
The Highland County Sheriff’s Office had warned drivers of numerous trees and power lines down across the county after Tuesday’s severe storms, with the heaviest damage reported south of U.S. Route 50. The sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post that emergency crews and power companies worked to clear roadways and restore electricity, and it urged residents to use caution while traveling.
The National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Highland County shortly after 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, citing wind gusts up to 60 mph and hail up to three-quarters of an inch. Minutes later, forecasters issued a tornado warning for parts of the county after radar detected rotation within the storm, cautioning that flying debris could endanger anyone caught outdoors and that mobile homes could be damaged or destroyed. A second severe thunderstorm warning followed for the southern part of the county before both warnings expired around 5 p.m.
In the days after the storms, the Highland County Emergency Management Agency asked county residents who suffered property damage to fill out an online damage report form, saying the reports help local officials assess the overall impact of the storms and determine whether additional assistance is needed.
The Highland County EMA operates under Ohio Revised Code Section 5502, which requires every county to maintain an emergency management program to reduce the impact of disasters and support community recovery efforts. The agency is headquartered in Hillsboro and is led by Director David Bushelman.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Highland County Sheriff’s Office, the Highland County Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service.
