When it comes to answering the call for help, three Detroit-area Eagle Scouts are accomplished professionals.
Armed with extensive backgrounds spanning law enforcement and firefighting, Matt Weil, Ken Kiley, and Kevin Humphreys are part of the Oakland County Communications Support Team (CST).
This trio is part of a group of highly trained emergency responders with specialized technical skills based in Southeast Michigan. Weil and Kiley both serve as team leaders of the 17-member team.
“The CST stands ready to assist municipalities with emergency communications and technology support for incidents or events where local infrastructure is at risk of becoming overwhelmed,” said Weil. “We were honored to respond when our team was called to assist at the COVID-19 alternate care facility at the TCF Center in Detroit.”
The TCF Center was designated by Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a temporary alternate care facility in Detroit during the COVID-19 pandemic. The facility began receiving patients on April 10, 2020.
“The CST has been on-site at the TCF Center for almost 30 days, performing many tasks to support the operational and logistical needs of the field hospital,” Kiley said. “Some of the tasks we’ve accomplished include bolstering public safety communications capabilities, issuing and tracking technology assets, and implementing a secure network to facilitate the safe transfer of patient information. The CST will remain on site as long as necessary and work with administrators to ensure the goals and objectives of the mission are achieved.”
In addition to responding to emergencies, the CST has been an integral part of many high-profile events, including the Woodward Dream Cruise, Detroit Red Wings Stanley Cup Playoffs, Ford Fireworks in Detroit, 2011 National Republican Presidential Candidate Debate, and Boy Scouts of America Jamboree-on-the-Air (JOTA).
When not deployed with the CST, Weil, an Eagle Scout from Troop 189 in Clarkston, serves as the assistant fire chief of the North Oakland County Fire Authority. Kiley, an Eagle Scout from Troop 1705 in Troy, serves as the director of support services for the Oakland University Police Department. Humphreys, an Eagle Scout from Troop 219 in Fenton, serves as a shift leader with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Operations Center.