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Local Volunteers Respond to Hurricanes

In 2004, the United States experienced Hurricanes Charley, Francis and Ivan.  The three hurricanes landed and caused more than 150 direct and indirect deaths and more than $40 billion in damages.

 On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast and devastated the region with more than 1,400 deaths and an estimated $75 billion in damages, making it the costliest hurricane in United States history.  Hurricanes Rita and Wilma followed on Katrina’s heels bringing more death and destruction and hampering recovery efforts.

 The Emergency Services Coordinating Agency (ESCA) provides Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training for personal preparedness and limited disaster response skills.  ESCA also provides advanced and ongoing training through the CERT Leader program for individuals who want to maintain and upgrade their skills and who plan on volunteering with ESCA during a local emergency or disaster.

 ESCA works with a variety of regional partners, including the Snohomish County chapter of the American Red Cross (ARC).  In 2004, when ARC was in desperate need of additional volunteers, the local chapter put out a call to the regional partners asking for volunteers who were willing to learn “on the fly.”  CERT Leaders responded, and six people donated a minimum of three weeks each to helping in the response efforts.

 In 2005, ARC asked for help again, and seven of ESCA’s people were able to help, some of them staying for up to two months.

 Some of the local volunteers who were able to give their time and energy to the 2005 efforts provide the following entries.

Jeff:

 “I left Seattle on October 19, 2005 for New Orleans.  I was assigned to bulk distributing warehouse #5 out of Reserve, LA. 

 “My daily routine was to wake up at 4:30 every morning (later on Sundays) and be at the warehouse by 6:30.  Our staff shelter was in Destrehan LA. so it was about a 27 mile drive.

 “When we got to the warehouse, we took our 5 fully-loaded 27' box trucks to New Orleans.  I was assigned to site #12 which was just outside the French Quarter at the auditorium (Lewis Armstrong Park).

  “When we got there, I started by counting the supplies in the trucks before we unloaded them.  After a truck was inventoried, the team would start unloading them and setting up the site.  We had a drive-thru lane and a walk-up line.  We opened at 10:00 am and the lines were already very long.  

 “We passed out food, water, cleaning supplies, diapers and whatever surprise stuff we happen to have on the trucks that day.  The site closed at 3:00pm or when we ran out of stuff.  We very rarely brought anything back to the warehouse.

 “After we loaded up the setup truck, we would drive approximately 40 miles back to the warehouse. The team would then go back to the shelter while I turned in paperwork and filled out the requisition form for the next day’s supplies.>

 “I found the people of New Orleans to be very kind and thankful.  Everyone in the state was very glad that the Red Cross was there.  And of course the French Quarter along with Bourbon Street were very interesting places to visit after a hard day of work.

 “I left New Orleans Nov. 9th and arrived home to a very happy family.”

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John:

“My main mission was to rove the shelter taking care of the special needs medical area, and helping the youngest and oldest folks in the shelter.  I helped with everything from running meals to the medical area to driving samples to the lab.

“One of the most moving things I’ve ever experienced was when I was able to help reunite a man with his missing wife.  They became separated as they tried to escape their flooded house and neighborhood, and the wife was later reported as deceased. 

“Through searching the databases, we were able to locate a woman with the same name in a nearby town.  We called her and confirmed that she was, in fact, the gentleman’s wife.  Within a short time, we were able to reunite the couple and leave them in a stable situation.

“An incredible, moving and emotional time!  I still can't watch some of the footage without a lump in my throat.”

John’s journal entry for September 2, 2005:

“We have orientation from [Al] and are told of conditions in and around the area.  Louisiana has fire ants, ‘gators, mosquitoes and four kinds of poisonous snakes.  Population of Baton Rouge has doubled overnight and traffic has increased 40 percent.  Told to keep gas tank full at all times.

“All four of us are assigned as a group to the River Center Shelter in downtown Baton Rouge.  It is the largest shelter in Louisiana with almost 5,000 persons when we arrive[d]…

“CERT training came in handy today as I was in charge of setting up a medical treatment area for special needs folks.  Local volunteers and I started out by helping to move patients up to a critical care area set up on the second floor of the complex. 

“We have about eight patients with a wide variety of medical problems…

“[We] finish off the day and go back to the [staff] shelter for the night.”

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 Bill:

 Bill deployed from August 28 through September 21.  Bill also worked in at the River Center Shelter in Baton Rouge.  An entry from his journal is included below:

 “Sunday, September 4:

“There are lots of Baton Rouge Police around here 24/7; even saw a Texas Ranger here.  Most are nice and friendly, but take no guff from anyone. 

 “I helped a young woman through a crisis.  She wanted a basket to pass out candy to the children.  I came around the corner and found her crying.  She had stopped at a television and was watching the newscast about children and the hurricane.  I gave her a hug and said, “You’re a mom, aren’t you?”  She shook her head yes and started crying harder.  I just held her until she was done.  Then she wiped her eyes and said, “I’m not supposed to cry.  I’m a policewoman.”  I told her it was all right to cry.  Then we separated and went about our business of helping people.

“Have met a lot of nice people here, both volunteers and [Red Cross] clients.  The people in the shelters are very thankful for all our help.  Most have lost everything.  Some are separated from their families and hoping to connect up with them.

“The kids, like most kids, seem to be taking it all in stride.  Most are very resilient. 

“I counted 22 dome tents on the floor of the Exhibition Hall.  They give some privacy to people but will be taken down later due to upcoming events.

“I helped a large family (10 people) with setting up.  They needed cots, blankets, #2 and #4 diapers for their children.  I helped a woman and child find the main dispensary so she could try to get glasses for her little girl.  I saw her later and she said they wrote a prescription and will have her glasses the next day.”

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 In addition to working in shelters and passing out supplies, other members delivered hot meals or provided operational support.  This included working in warehouses; delivering and operating satellite systems; and delivering, setting up and maintaining telephone and computer networks.

 Disaster response requires preparedness and skills.  To learn more about ESCA’s CERT program, click here or call Jamie at (425)776-3722.  

 To learn more about the American Red Cross, go to their national website at: www.redcross.org.  You can also call Snohomish County Chapter at (425) 252-4103 or go to their website at: http://www.snohomishcounty.redcross.org/.

Be prepared.