Gaston Co. emergency management director to resign amid preparedness concerns

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Gaston County Emergency Management Director Keith Rapp is resigning amid concerns that the county may not be ready for an emergency, such as severe weather.

[Rising water levels threaten Mountain Island Lake communities]

Flooding upstream last month destroyed boats and docks on Mountain Island Lake, and residents didn't get a warning.

Bob Crump's pier was nearly washed away by floodwaters that he said quickly rose in two hours, sweeping boats from their docks and at times taking the whole dock.

"It would be nice to have some kind of alert system to a cellphone or anything," Crump said.

The county has an alert system, but Rapp said it doesn't work.

Channel 9 got a copy of the list of concerns Rapp spelled out to county officials.

Rapp said the department suffers from a lack of planning and is reactionary.

He is the only full-time employee, while most other counties in the state of a similar size have four to six full-time workers.

Gaston County's emergency management department cannot provide coverage around the clock because of lack of personnel. Its budget has been cut by 12% over the last four years.

Commissioner Chad Brown said he had not heard about the concerns.

"I'd like to tell the citizens of Gaston County, ‘You are safe,'" Brown said.

He said he thought Rapp was doing a good job.

"(Rapp is) very attentive to email and alerting us of what was going on," Brown said.

The commissioner said he has ridden with other public service departments during disasters, and he feels they are ready.

"We are prepared. The citizens are protected," Brown said.

Rapp will remain on the job until Aug. 16 to complete a joint drill at one of the two nuclear plants in the county.

After that, county officials will have to find a temporary replacement and begin a search for a new director.

Cox Media Group