Disaster Assistance Response Team

Disaster Assistance Response Team

Greg Brown, Director

At the April 2005 State Board meeting, the trustees approved a new benefit for FOP members. Beginning June 1, 2006, the North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) will respond to a natural disaster area to assist officers and their families who must work and have suffered damage as a result of the disaster.

DART will provide home stabilization assistance such as placing tarps on damaged roofs, boarding damaged windows, removing fallen trees from drive-ways and removing furniture from flooded homes. DART may also provide assistance to officers' families by running emergency errands, helping with disaster assistance paperwork and encouraging the use of support organizations.

DART is under the umbrella of the NC FOP Foundation but has its own executive committee. DART is divided into four regions:  Western, Piedmont, Northeastern and Southeastern. Each region is made up of a regional coordinator and response teams.

There are several challenges remaining for DART.  One challenge is funding, because DART is part of the North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police Foundation Inc. Contributions to DART are tax deductible and monetary donations as well equipment donations are needed to support DART. All local lodges are encouraged to support this benefit for FOP members.

DART is always in need of volunteers, specifically in the Eastern part of the State. Regional coordinators will be contacting local lodges to solicit volunteers to make up the response teams. President Mangum, the State Executive Board and State Trustees are very supportive of this program. If you would like to be a part of DART and would like an opportunity to help your fellow brother or sister in time of need, you do not have to wait to be contacted.  Please email or call your regional coordinator at the contact information listed below.

Director

Greg Brown Lodge No.46

3220 Bass Road

Nashville, NC 27856

Cell: 252-813-8898

Home: 252-478-2939

Email: brown_bg@earthlink.net

Regional Coordinators

Western

Charlie Oliver Lodge No.01

Cell: 828-808-9321

Email: ceoliver84@yahoo.com

Piedmont

Mike Sanders Lodge No.09

Cell: 704-654-1116

Email: jmsblueknight@bellsouth.net

Northeastern

Kelli Robeson Lodge No.76

Cell: 252-333-2166

Email: tkj01@yahoo.com

Southeastern

Ed Gibson Lodge No.58

Home: 910-395-5103

Work: 910-612-4291

Email: ncfop58sec@aol.com

DART is seeking financial support through contributions and sponsorships. If you know of a business that may be interested in supporting our program, please contact your regional coordinator or me. We have completed W-9 forms ready to use. All contributions are tax deductible.

In light of recent disasters, we are all too familiar with the devastation and hardships disasters place on communities. As emergency responders, we must be there for our communities.  The North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police will be there for you, through DART.

LDOC: 5/15/2011