The Catskill Chronicle

HURLEYVILLE, NY (October 24, 2012) – The Town of Fallsburg Lions Club Third Vice President George Gibson addressed the monthly dinner meeting at Nardi’s Frankie and Johnny’s Restaurant in Hurleyville on October 18.

As a catastrophic planner and emergency management specialist with the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services-Office of Emergency Management, he was called in to survey the damages from the flash floods that devastated Livingston Manor and other communities in mid-September 2012.

Working in tandem with the American Red Cross, George was able to help secure disaster relief funding and low cost Small Business Administration loans through the cooperation of federal and state agencies. Critical to the process was the New York State Governor declaring the affected areas in Sullivan and Ulster Counties disaster areas.

George is now assigned to The National Center for Security and Preparedness at the University of Albany SUNY. He will be studying catastrophic planning, including the hazards of nuclear devices and preparedness for large-scale disasters that could impact major cities and metropolitan areas in New York State.

In the photo above are New York Lions 1st Vice District Governor of District 20-0 Wilfred Roehe, Town of Fallsburg Lions Club, 1st Vice President Patricia Gibson, Speaker George Gibson and Fallsburg Lions Club President Miranda Behan.

Also during the meeting, new members of the club were installed.

In the photo at right are (l-r) new member Diane Salzberg and her sponsor Fallsburg Lion Burton Ledina, new member James Cypher and his sponsor 1st Vice District Governor of District 20-0 New York Lions, sponsor Fallsburg Lion Monroe Levine and his daughter and new member Lynda Levine.