COLUMBUS, OH -- Members of the Ohio Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) are working hand-in-hand with the state's emergency management agency to aid clean up in three northwestern Ohio counties struck by tornadoes on November 10, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
Responding to Ohio's emergencies and natural disasters is an important aspect of CCC, said Terrie TerMeer, chief of the CCC. Corpsmembers are proud to help wherever and whenever they can.
In hard-hit Van Wert County, a crew of four corpsmembers and a supervisor from the Quilter CCC Camp at Green Springs are assisting in clearing damaged trees and other debris from residential neighborhoods and public areas.
Another five-person crew from the Quilter CCC Camp is clearing downed trees and branches in Seneca County's Clinton Township, following in the footsteps of an earlier crew that performed emergency clean-up work immediately after the storm.
In Paulding County, a crew from the Canton CCC Camp worked from November 12 through last weekend to remove storm debris from two miles of drainage ditches in Washington Township. Their actions helped prevent additional flooding in the area during last weekend's rains.
Additional crews from the Cleveland, Zanesville and Zaleski camps are on stand by, ready to step in at the request of the Ohio Emergency Management Agency.
Approximately 200 young adults are currently enrolled in Ohio CCC. Residential camps are located near Green Springs in Sandusky County and in rural Vinton County. Other non-residential camps are located in Zanesville, Columbus, Canton, Middletown, Cleveland and near Portsmouth in Scioto County.
The Ohio CCC, a division of ODNR, is a conservation-based program that provides employment and training opportunities for Ohioans age 18 to 24. One of the organization's major functions is to assist the state in disaster relief. Young adults enrolled in the program receive valuable work experience, educational opportunities and life-skill training - all while completing meaningful conservation and recreation projects to benefit citizens of Ohio. Todays Ohio CCC builds on the proud tradition of the federal Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s and 1940s.
For information regarding CCC enrollment, see the ODNR web site at Ohiodnr.com or call 1-800-ODNR CCC.