Disaster - Day 1

Up at 6:30am. Hotel breakfast from 7 - 7:15, then into the van and off to the makeshift emergency Red Cross headquarters in a church about 20 minutes away. Meeting from 8 - 8:30 on where we are in terms of handling the "clients" in the surrounding devastated counties (our base is responsible for 10 counties). Brief intro training before jumping into answering incoming calls on 3 designated cell phones. Helped out in the office until 2pm when we began a 3 hour training for the work we'll be doing these next weeks. More volunteers than were anticipated showed up for the training, so that was encouraging. We were able to leave early, though it was still a 10 1/2 hr work day, and we're all pretty pooped.

What we'll be doing is pairing off and going door to door in devastated neighborhoods, asking people if they need assistance. If so, we'll interview them and fill out an information sheet for their household, and then in due time (possibly a couple days, though at this point Chattanooga's priority status has only recently been upgraded to a level 4 disaster, and the funds to handle this increase from a level 2 have not yet come through from the national branch), the Red Cross will make sure they receive money for food, clothing, furniture, etc. We'll also be equipped with water and food as we visit these houses, so if people have immediate basic needs, we'll be somewhat equipped to help them.

The Red Cross here has also set up several shelters throughout various counties, and they are currently in possession of 6 or 7 ERV's, which are constantly out and about delivering food wherever it looks like it might be needed. Taylor went out in one of these today to help distribute food, and he said people were incredibly happy to see them and get something to eat.

Everyday, 2 people from our team will be staying behind in the office to answer phone calls, and most likely to help out with varied tasks in other departments as well. The staff here is stretched extremely thin, and the people that are working are exhausted, having worked 12 - 16 hr days since the tornadoes hit last Wednesday. One gentleman actually collapsed in the office today and an ambulance was called. They initially thought it might be a heart attack, but from what I heard later this afternoon, it was just plain exhaustion. Everyone has been extremely welcoming to our entire team, and they're anxious to receive our help in every department. However, we've specifically been assigned to case management, and our supervisor is guarding us jealously, refusing to let us get into the middle of a tug of war situation and potentially lose some of us to other projects. She's been burned in this way in the past and is not about to repeat that mistake.

Thanks for all your prayers and good thoughts. They are very much appreciated. Tomorrow is the true test since I'll actually be out in the field (unless assigned to phones). I'll try and write at least a little update everyday, though I'm not sure how things will go once we get rolling since life must go on even in a situation such as this. There's still laundry to do, and PT, and food shopping, which must all be worked around an 8am-8pm work schedule. I'm just glad my mattress is comfortable :)

love,
 k