Inside an ERV!

 

Doing data entry!

 

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Analysis!

This blog so far represents just three to four weeks of my life, beginning when I decided to “do my bit” and volunteer with the Red Cross, do the training, get equipped for anything, go to the Katrina disaster area meet many wonderful, wonderful Red Cross Volunteers and actually get out there and meet with, interact with and help those victims (clients the Red Cross calls them) of the storms.

The pictures below are from my disposable camera and are but a few of the images that will forever be etched in my brain. The thoughts, the frustrations and the emotions written below are just mine and represent an infinitesimally small part of what is the story of Katrina and Rita. As I have written below the numbers of Volunteers stretches into the millions – can you imagine what pictures, what stories, what heartaches and yes what victories they have to tell.

Much has been already written, and will be, about how well the Red Cross and other Agencies, particularly FEMA have responded to this crisis. All I can say is that every one of the people, the workers and staffs that I have met have been dedicated, motivated, passionate and caring people who cared enough to do something about it. That there is trouble at the top, that response could have been faster, that resources were not used to their fullest extent, that many Volunteers had to “hurry up and wait” for deployment, these issues are arguable and probably true. But I maintain that the USA has never, never had to deal with the magnitude of these disasters before, especially in the time frame within which they happened. No one could comprehend the sheer enormity of the situation, and consequently not one then had a plan to react to it. I would like to think that lessons have been learned, and that the Government, FEMA and yes the Red Cross have all created new plans and strategies that will help deal with other such emergencies which will undoubtedly happen.

But in the end all I can say is that The Red Cross – funded by donations from the American People, American Corporations and FEMA, The Southern Baptist Convention, and largely run by Volunteers, during the last 5 weeks has done, or provided the following, and I salute them:

Financial Assistance to upwards of three quarters of a million Hurricane Katrina victims dispersed across the nation. As of Oct. 5, the Red Cross has distributed for financial assistance to more than 963,000 families (more than 3.0 million hurricane survivors).

Shelters/Temporary Housing - Since Hurricane Katrina made landfall, the Red Cross has provided hurricane survivors with more than 3.2 million overnight stays in 1,150 shelters across 27 states and the District of Columbia.
As of Oct. 4, the Red Cross the Hurricane Katrina and Rita special accommodations program, which will be funded by FEMA and is being administered by the Red Cross on behalf of the federal government, has provided nearly 49.6 million overnight hotel stays to more than 483,000 people in 8,600 hotels/motels in 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Relief Workers - More than 178,000 Red Cross disaster relief workers from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have responded to their neighbors in need.

Feeding Operations - The Red Cross, in coordination with the Southern Baptist Convention, has served more than 20.3 million hot meals and more than 13.5 million snacks to hurricane survivors to date.

Reuniting Families - More than 288,000 names have been registered online, which is helping reconnect loved ones separated by the hurricanes.

Disaster Mental Health - To date, nearly 531,500 people have received Red Cross Disaster Mental Health services.

Funds Received - The Red Cross has received nearly $1.1 billion in gifts and pledges for the hurricane relief effort. (As of Oct. 5, 2005)

Me with ERV 2136 from Topeka, Kansas - Denny and I did some good in this vehicle!

My ERV Buddy "Denny" and me!

Morning delivery, and the Red Cross staff at New Birth Baptist Shelter

This is why we volunteered - non of thse kids or their families have anything! They ate being housed and supported by the congregation of the New Birth Baptist Shelter in Jackson, MS and the Red Cross

Denny Armentrout with "Joshua" - New Birth Baptist Shelter, Jackson, MS

Part of the Red Cross vast HQ at Montgomery, AL

Denny with 2 FEMA guys we met at the Capitol in Jackson, MS

Still to post?

Though I leave Montgomery tomorrow there are still things I would like to say, and photos I would like to publish so please don't switch me off yet.

I would also like to thank all those who have commented on this Blog, or who have sent me emails.

Your support has been greatly appreciated.

Peter

On "Buddies" and "The American People"

Montgomery, AL - Saturday October 1st:

Like the Police, the Red Cross uses the "partner" or "buddy" system for it's ERVs. The buddy system ensures that there are two people at all times working together and supporting each other.

Denny Armentrout from Webster City, Iowa is my buddy, and it is amazing how in such a short time bonds can be created that I am sure will stand the passage of time.

Katrina and the Red Cross brought us to Montgomery, and chance threw us together as "buddies".

I have yet to meet a more generous, gregarious, funny, deadly serious, action orientated, talkative, loyal and dependable human being. I was fortunate to have had him as my partner, and I think we made quite a team.

I have to speak too, of all the Red Cross Volunteers, volunteers with other groups, the staff of FEMA, the contractors, the "Line Men" (bringing power back to the Gulf) and of course the Police, the Firemen, Ambulance men and First Responders that we met - everyone has the "Mission" to help these Gulf States back on their feet.

Regarding the public outcry surrounding the Katrina disaster, I believe it was Louisiana Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu who said:

"America has looked in the mirror

and has not liked what it has seen"

I think that the outpouring of volunteering is America's, and by this I mean "the people of America's" response.

"We the people" are doing something about it!

Todate the Red Cross has deployed some 160,000+ volunteers into this Katrina/Rita crisis. If you were to add together all the volunteers, The Red Cross, The Salvation Army, all the various church groups, State, Local Government, Municipal, School, Corporate and all other volunteer organizations the total number of volunteers must be in the millions.

Yes America has been embarrassed by the first 4 or 5 days after Katrina, but America can be proud of what it's citizens have done since.

And let us hope that the government can learn from this experience to ensure that never again will disaster victims go without help for so long.

Proud to have been a part of it.

Peter

Days events!

Montgomery, AL - Saturday October 1st:

I have breakfast with my Buddy - Denny, then take him to the airport - he leaves today.

I do some odds and ends, add to this blog and will "process out" this afternoon. I believe the "process out" takes a little time, it includes a session with a Red Cross mental health advisor. Red Cross volunteers are put into many difficult, traumatic and tragic situations, especially when they involve people as they usually do. Many volunteers become deeply effected by these encounters and the Red Cross takes very seriously its responsibility to protect the safety, health and mental health of its volunteers.


Montgomery, AL - Friday September 30th:

I will not be flying back till Sunday October 2nd, so HQ askes me to deliver four new replacement drivers to Jackson - there and back in a day - 500+miles round trip.


Jackson, MS - Thursday September 29th:

All change - I am coming to the end of my deployment - I am supposed to ship out on Saturday September 30th, so Red Cross HQ in Montgomery has me lead two other ERVs back to the Montgomery home base. ERVs are being consolidated there for onward deployment to Beaumont, Texas


Jackson, MS - Wednesday September 28th:
A repeat of Tuesday - we deliver bulk foods to the Shelter and hotels.

Now we are beginning to know the clients - we have now seen and talked to them several times. They begin to have personalities, and we get to know their special circumstances - there are ways we can help them outside the Red Cross too - sometimes. (See earlier post - Adopt a Shelter)

Between our morning and afternoon run we take a couple of hours off and decide to visit the Capitol. Jackson is the center of government for Mississippi. After a thorough tour of the magnificent Capitol building we are fortunate enough to see the Governor of Mississippi preside at a Press Conference organized to launch Mississippi's rebuilding effort.


Jackson, MS - Tuesday September 27th:
Today our job changes somewhat - we are to deliver bulk foods to a Shelter and to several other hotels. In these cases the food will be distributed by the Shelter staff, or, at the hotels, by the clients themselves.

It is a greater part of our job now to interact with as many of the clients as possible, to provide whatever help, support, friendship we can, and to determine what other specialist help might be needed - medical, mental health etc

Jackson, MS - Monday September 26th:
The Jackson, MS Red Cross Center is a mature site. As I have said in earlier posts, Jackson is 100+ miles from the coast and therefore sustained, relatively little damage. It is however home for a large number of displaced persons who are living in shelters or in local hotels.

At this time the Red Cross is not operating any shelters of its own in the Jackson area, but is supporting by means of shelter management, and of course by the supply of meals to the displaced persons (clients). The Red Cross is providing a sandwich lunch and a hot dinner every day, courtesy of the American People (their donations pay for all this)

On our first day in Jackson we went to several hotels and actual served meals from the ERV

The ERV is a special vehicle outfitted to serve individual meals to the people. It is capable of carrying large quantities of bulk hot or cold food and drinks, and a variety of other items too. The ERV crew serve this food on individual clam shell plates and dispense them through the serving window.

One ERV crew we met recently, who had been deployed down on the Gulf coast, had dispensed over 30,000 meals from their vehicle in about a three week period - a significant achievement.

We dispense these meals to the clients who come to the ERV. It is also part of our job to talk to these people to try to help them, and to gain field information for other Red Cross services.