Department of Homeland Security & Emergency Management Story Archives

First Medal of Valor Awards Granted To Seven First Responders

Seven first responders received the state’s first round of Medal of Valor awards during a ceremony Wednesday afternoon.

The state legislature created the award, and the board that grants it, in 2021.

“Too often, they’re underpaid. Too often, they’re underappreciated,” Gov. Jim Justice said during the ceremony. “We need to do something about that, don’t we? And we need to show them, not only that we appreciate them, and that they’re deserving of fair wages, but we also need to show them just how much that we will never forget them.”

The Medal of Valor was created to be awarded to firefighters, emergency medical services personnel and law enforcement “who distinguish themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of their lives above and beyond the call of duty in the performance of their duties,” according to state code.

Del. Daniel Linville, R-Cabell, helped present the award in honor of Woody Williams, who requested the state create it.

“He wanted this honor removed from the political process,” Linville said. “He didn’t want one person to be able to award the state’s highest honor. He wanted it to follow the process that the Medal of Honor follows nationally.”

This year’s recipients include Patrolman Cassie Johnson, Corporal Marshall Bailey, Trooper Eric Workman, Deputy John Westfall, Sergeant Thomas E. Baker III and firefighters John Dean Forbush and James W. Spencer.

Five of the recipients, including Johnson, Bailey, Workman, Baker and Forbush were granted the award posthumously. Their families were in attendance to accept the award on their behalf.

State Police Superintendent Resigns Amid Investigations Into Women’s Rights Violations, Stealing, More

An investigation found evidence of videotaping a State Police women’s locker room, stealing money at a casino and a concerning I-81 crash investigation.

In a video press conference Monday afternoon, Gov. Jim Justice announced he accepted the resignation of State Police Superintendent Col. Jan Cahill early that morning.

An investigation found evidence of videotaping a State Police women’s locker room, stealing money at a casino and a concerning I-81 crash investigation.

Justice said, “The more we dug, the more it stunk, you can’t make this stuff up.”

A Department of Homeland Security probe began with an anonymous letter listing allegations of State Police wrongdoing.

“When you absolutely think that a women’s locker room ought to be an absolute safe place, we’ve got a situation, whether it was in 2014 or 2016, whether it was before Jan (Col. Jan Cahill), before the governor or whatever it may be, our State Police did stuff that was really bad,” Justice said. “We put a video camera in the women’s locker room. To me, it is absolutely intolerant, not to be tolerated in any way.”

Justice said the invasion of women’s privacy got even worse regarding destruction of evidence, after the unnamed individual who planted the camera died of a heart attack.

“There were three troopers that found a thumb drive and from that they found the video,” Justice said. “Then from what I understand, one, if not all, immediately jerked a thumb drive out and threw it on the floor and started stomping on it. Now we’ve got law enforcement officers destroying evidence.”

Justice said the investigation also found videotape evidence showing a State Police trooper committing theft at the Mardi Gras casino in Cross Lanes.

“There was a man playing one of the video machines,” Justice said. “There was a state trooper close by. In some way, the man got up and an envelope that he had fell out in the seat. I think he went on to the restroom. There’s no way to look at this other than just this, the trooper picked it up and took the money. Basically, that money was stolen. And then as far as doing a quick investigation and getting right on to what we should get onto, we didn’t do that.”

Justice said a third investigation is still underway involving State Police trooper involvement in a fatal accident on Interstate 81.

“We’ve had an individual loss of life on I-81,” Justice said, “I’ve seen the video. The video is very, very concerning. The investigation is ongoing at this time.”

Cahill, the former Greenbrier County Sheriff, had been State Police Superintendent since the Justice administration took office in 2017. Justice said Cahill asked around midnight Sunday to talk. They met in Justice’s driveway on Monday morning.

“The first thing I told Jan was there is no pathway here,” Justice said. “There is no pathway that absolutely you can remain as the colonel of the State Police in the state of West Virginia.”

Justice said he has appointed Capitol Police Lt. Col. Jack Chambers as interim State Police Superintendent and said Chambers will work with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeff Sandy to further investigate the locker room and casino incidents.

“Jack Chambers is a man of honor,“ Justice said. “He’ll do the right things and we entrust upon him to absolutely do any level of rightness, clean up, whatever it may be, we will entrust upon him to do just that. As I promised you, it’s got to go further than that, and here’s where there are many areas of allegations and Jack Chambers will absolutely address those allegations.”

The governor’s Chief of Staff, Brian Abraham, said other allegations regarding the State Police are still under investigation. Justice said federal investigators are already looking at these incidents and that Chambers will work with Secretary Sandy and the governor’s office to restore trust and integrity to the West Virginia State Police.

Department of Homeland Security Updates School Swatting Incidents

Law enforcement has updated the number of schools targeted during Wednesday’s statewide false reporting incident.

The West Virginia Department of Homeland Security was monitoring at least a dozen false reports of active shooters at schools across the state Wednesday.

Thursday morning, that number was updated to 19 false reports across 17 counties, but officials reiterated that all calls received have been deemed not credible.

False threats were received in Barbour, Berkeley, Cabell, Greenbrier, Hancock, Harrison, Jefferson, Kanawha, Marion, McDowell, Mercer, Monongalia, Ohio, Raleigh, Randolph, Taylor, and Wood counties.

These types of false reports, commonly referred to as “swatting,” are an attempt to bring a large, armed law enforcement presence to a certain location.

Swatting ties up emergency services and can be deadly.

“Our ongoing priority is to ensure the health, safety and well-being of our students and communities,” said Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Rob Cunningham. “We will continue our investigation of each event and are prepared to respond again if needed. We ask the community to download our emergency response phone app and assist us in keeping our communities safe.”

Homeland Security officials said each threat received is being investigated alongside local and federal authorities.

False Reports Of Active Shooters Made At Schools Across State

More than a dozen false reports of active shooters were made at schools across the state Wednesday. The incident is part of a growing national trend.

Law enforcement in Barbour, Cabell, Harrison, Ohio, Kanawha, Marion, Mercer, Monongalia, Raleigh, Taylor, Wirt and Wood counties all received calls Wednesday morning of active shooters in schools, or the imminent threat of an active shooter.

Morgantown police, who responded to a false call at Morgantown High School around 9 a.m., said in a press release that an unidentified male identifying himself as a teacher at the school called 911 and said seven students had been shot in his classroom.

Deputy Cabinet Secretary for the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security Rob Cunningham says false or not, the safety of students in schools is a top priority and law enforcement responded to all involved locations quickly.

“Every time that there’s a threat, or there’s an allegation that there’s going to be some sort of violence towards our children, we take them all dead serious,” he said.

Cunningham said the calls, known colloquially as ‘swatting’, follow a growing pattern across the country.

“This isn’t only happening in the state of West Virginia, these types of calls have been happening throughout the nation,” he said.

Cunningham confirmed that similar calls were made simultaneously in Ohio Wednesday morning. Schools in North Carolina were targeted with similar false claims last week. He said the West Virginia incidents are now part of a federal investigation.

“My conversation with the FBI this morning was that these sorts of events have been happening throughout the nation and what is happening in West Virginia is going to be elevated to a national level investigation,” Cunningham said.

The false reporting of an emergency incident is a misdemeanor in West Virginia and carries a fine of up to $500 or a six month jail sentence.

Cunningham highlighted the state’s new “SeeSend” phone app, which allows community members to report information and concerns, and could help mitigate false reporting moving forward.

“If they have information, they have a tip, they know of something that’s going to negatively affect a school or a child, you can send that information and it goes straight to the people that it needs to go to to create an immediate response,” he said.

Governor Declares State Of Preparedness As Heavy Rains Hit W.Va.

The governor’s office declared a State of Preparedness for all 55 counties as heavy rain is expected to hit large parts of West Virginia through Saturday. This could elevate risks for flooding and power outages throughout the state.

The city of Huntington declared a State of Emergency, citing large scale flooding. The National Weather Service has also issued flash flood warnings in the areas surrounding Huntington and Charleston.

The West Virginia Emergency Management Division recommends staying indoors as much as possible. Quick preparation tactics include keeping 72 hours worth of bottled water and non-perishable food items around the house.

Public Information Officer Lora Lipscomb says one of the most important things to do in a weather emergency is to make sure phones are charged and backup power sources are nearby. This ensures the ability to stay connected to contacts and to receive emergency alerts.

“They could be asking that you evacuate your home or not go into the area that they’re specifying,” Lipscomb said. “We ask you to please listen to those officials and follow those directions.”

If driving under a flood warning is necessary, Lipscomb recommends the “6-12 rule.”

“Six inches of water will knock an adult off their feet and sweep you away. Twelve inches of water could wash your vehicle away depending on the height of the vehicle,” Lipscomb said. “When you come to floodwater, you’re not going to know how deep it is. So back away from it and find another way home. You’ll be late, but we want you to get home.”

Lipscomb recommends checking the social media pages of your local emergency management agency or your local weather service for up-to-date info. Resources on what to do in an emergency can also be found online at ready.gov.

Floods, Flood Warning Moves Downstream As Winter Weather Advisory Creeps In

Flood waters in southern West Virginia are lower than they were yesterday and road conditions are improving, but emergency management officials say they are still monitoring the situation and remain active in the region.

The West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management reports the flood wave will continue moving down the involved rivers, including the Tug Fork River and the Bluestone River from Spanishburg in Mercer County to Pipestem in Summers County. Impacts will lessen as the wave moves downstream.

According to the National Weather Service, there’s still a flood warning around the Tug Fork River at Williamson, Mingo County, as well as in Mercer and Summers. It will last until at least Friday evening.

The DHSEM reported minor flooding on the New, Meadow and Coal rivers Friday.

The NWS also has issued a winter weather advisory for portions of central, northern, southern and western West Virginia. That entails 2 to 4 inches of heavy snow until 1 p.m.

The DHSEM is aware of roads still being closed in McDowell, and Wyoming counties. Mingo County has requested help from the Division of Highways for its roads.

On Thursday, McDowell County officials issued a State of Emergency for the area, freeing up state resources from the DHSEM and the West Virginia National Guard, the latter of which was stationed outside a fire station in War, McDowell, to provide resources as they are requested.

Welch, McDowell received the greatest amount of rain on Thursday, at 3.36 inches. Eight roads remain closed.

In Wyoming County there are roughly 300 residences without power and five roads closed, according to the DHSEM.

The State Emergency Operations Center remains partially activated, after a request from Gov. Jim Justice on Thursday. The American Red Cross and the Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster are available to assist state and local emergency operations throughout the day as requests are made.

Snow from Friday morning will and scattered showers throughout the day could lead to 1 to 3 inches of snow and water in the lowlands and 3 to 7 inches in the mountains.

The DHSEM reported warming temperatures in lower elevations during the day could help improve roads, while lower temperatures tonight could create icy road conditions.

Emily Allen is a Report for America corps member.