Connecting Carbon After Deadly Wildfire
West Texas Community Determined to Rebuild
“151 structures burned to the ground, in Carbon we had a complete loss of 84 homes” the Mayor of Carbon, Cory Hull stated. That’s a lot for a town occupied by just a little over 200 people, 212 residents to be exact.
The Eastland Complex Fire started on March 17th — and as the Mayor and lifetime resident, City Secretary Sylvia Gosnell will tell you, they knew their town needed aid immediately.
The Texas wildfire burned more than 54,000 acres and claimed the life of Eastland County Deputy Sergeant, Barbara Fenley who selflessly carried out door to door evacuations and warned citizens of the fast moving fire. Sgt. Fenley was last heard on the radio saying she was on her way to warn elderly neighbors, shortly before her vehicle veered off the road in heavy smoke.
The local fire department, mostly made up of volunteers, battled both the fire — and communications issues.
Power lines were quickly consumed by the fire, and the entire City of Carbon remained in the dark for 36 hours. While trying to organize evacuations, city officials were attempting to reach out to the power company for assistance — everything would need to be replaced… Which as the mayor points out, is a “major understatement.”
“Communication is absolutely the first thing you need. ITDRC’s time and donations” proved crucial in addressing recovery needs.
Responding to a request from Texas’ Disaster Recovery Task Force, ITDRC supplied power and WiFi connectivity to the town’s modest City Hall building which was narrowly spared.
The WiFi served the entire community, not just emergency responders. Residents could file damage reports online and submit photos of damaged property. ITDRC volunteers established computer stations in the city office, where Sylvia Gosnell assisted residents through the difficult process.
One retired rancher, William Jackson expressed the magnitude of loss experienced: “I’ve lost everything…don’t know where to start” but acknowledged the resilience of community bonds remaining intact.
Gosnell found purpose in helping others through the crisis. Her desk was positioned near a cell phone charging station installed by ITDRC. Mayor Hull noted her compassion, explaining that most people entering the office had been known to her since childhood.
Volunteers with United Rescue Alliance charged computer equipment at Carbon City Hall, enabling residents to connect with loved ones through internet access.
With the fire at 100% containment, Carbon focused on recovery and bringing resources to residents. Mayor Hull expressed that the loss affected the entire community collectively, stating that as a tight-knit group, each resident’s suffering became everyone’s concern, binding them together through shared grief and mutual support during rebuilding efforts.
