Helping in a disaster

[minkydog]

Today our pastor made the suggestion that we should just "take a ride up to North Georgia, show up in a neighborhood and start helping wherever you can." Excuse me, but don't they need people with actual disaster preparedness skills? I would love to help, but Im pretty sure they don't need me showing up at random subdivisions with a plate of brownies and a shovel. Rather than adding to the confusion, I have chosen to donate to organization which is already on the ground with a well-organized team.

So, am I mistaken? I don't want to give the impression that I don't care. I care very much. I'm from Alabama. Went to school at UWA, about an hour from Tuscaloosa. I know Tuscaloosa like the back of my hand. But I thought it was a little over-zealous to urge people to just drop everything and go to these places that are already suffering. I mean, they don't need to be inundated with do-gooders who don't have a clue how to be of real help.

 

[low-key]

hey

 

[minkydog]

hey

Pop-Daddy! hey!

 

[LuvOrlando]

Minkydog, your heart is in the right place but I have no ideas.

I remember that after 9/11 there were invitations to sign ourselves up as citizen volunteers for disaster help. did anything ever come of that? Nope. it's kind of staggering when I consider all the retired or SAHM&Dads out there who posses relevant skills, genuinely useful skills thAt could be tapped in the event of a national emergency. I bet many would foot the bill themselves to gain required clearances. It's foolishness, just plain foolishness.

 

[minkydog]

Minkydog, your heart is in the right place but I have no ideas.

I remember that after 9/11 there were invitations to sign ourselves up as citizen volunteers for disaster help. did anything ever come of that? Nope. it's kind of staggering when I consider all the retired or SAHM&Dads out there who posses relevant skills, genuinely useful skills thAt could be tapped in the event of a national emergency. I bet many would foot the bill themselves to gain required clearances. It's foolishness, just plain foolishness.

I agree and maybe this is my own personal wake-up call. I am an RN, a pediatric nurse. Besides the obvious skills I can bring, I can cook and clean all day long and never get tired of it. I think the thing I'm best at is listening to people and empathizing. I can't go stay on-site for days on end because I have obligations at home. But I could give a day or two at a time. I just don't want to show up and be in anyone's way. I know in North Georgia they have cordoned off the areas that were hit to prevent looting and site-seeing gawkers. The only people allowed in are those who live there and official relief agencies.

I am making a pledge right now to get connected with the disaster relief team in my area. I may not be able to provide practical, on the scenes help with THIS disaster but maybe I can get the training necessary so that I can be ready for the NEXT one. And you know there's going to be a next one.

 

[Belle0101]

I can only speak for how things were when a tornado swept through our town. People couldn't just head into neighborhoods. Not only for safety - gas leaks, unstable structures - but also to prevent looting.

The Red Cross had organized a work day for the 3rd day after and the response was unreal. So many people came out that volunteers were turned away.

It was set up to park at the high school from where you would be bussed to a work site. The bus would come back later in the day to pick you up.

As for the work sites, it was made up of people who wanted help. Not everybody wants strangers rummaging through their belongings. And, like you mentioned, most people aren't trained for major disaster clean-up. I'm sure it would be pretty awful for an untrained civilian to find body parts.

My neighbors and I volunteered. We were bussed to a farm. We worked in a corn field all day, mostly picking insulation out of the field. An outbuilding had been damaged, that's where the insulation came from, and we hauled all the pieces of the building to a central location in the field.

I think it's great that you want to help. I'm sure your donation will be greatly appreciated!!

 

[n2dzny]

I agree with previous post. Plus, my sister is an ER nurse & they have been seeing people who get injured & are becoming part of the problem in the hospitals. The officials are now monitoring what people are wearing to help & if they don't have the proper attire, they couldn't get it. That is actually a good idea.

I understand that ppl want to help. I went to my house today (been @ my moms since the storms) and took water & supplies to the Rec Ctr, that is their "command central", they will see that it gets to those who needs it.

I also agree with he previous poster who said something about not wanting ppl to come help if my things were strewn all around. It really bothers me that ppl are riding around taking pics of pals misfortune. (that's just a side note)

 

[Tasha+Scott]

The worst tornado that we got here in MS that claimed at least 15 lives so far happened only 15 min from my house. I know at first they would not let anyone in at all unless they were emergency respondants or had some reason they should be there. Homeland Security was there and strictly enforced it thankfully.

However, after that first night (when the tornado struck) and the next day, they did let people 16 yo and over start volunteering to help with cleanup and feeding people and giving them supplies, etc. They DID ask that noone just drive up and start volunteering though. They asked you call the Red Cross 1st to see where you were needed. The Red Cross would then give a safety orientation and put people where they felt they were most valuable. I had to work and could not volunteer but my husband and a lot of people I know did and this is how it was handled. FEMA also arrived around this time to help organize everything.

The amount of help that we have received here from people both in our area and that aren't even from here has been amazing and humbling. Over 1000 homes were completely destroyed and nearly 3000 were damaged in my state and 35 people have been confirmed dead so far. Some are still missing. Donations are just as valuable as those who are volunteering, that's for sure.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Our street was closed for the first 4 days to anyone who could not prove they lived here or were emergency workers. Our church organized people to come in with chain saws and help start to remove trees and debris. Bread Comp, Pizza Hut, White Castle and McDonalds were allowed in with trucks of food for us and people helping us. They were all like Angels sent directly from heaven! BUT the last thing we need (then and even now a week later) is the parade of cars driving through taking pictures and "just seeing what happened". It is so much worse there than in MO I would think they will be in the 1st phase much longer than we were.

If you can help the things we needed most the first few days were people willing to help pick up trash and trees and food/water delivered. That is best organized at a site away from the disaster area. Now that we are stable and have power on at the houses that are livable we need more professional help like roofers/inspectors/contractors/ins adjusters and all of those will come with time.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Judging from what our family experience in Rita, I would say, wait a few days, call around to various churches in that area that are affiliated with yours, and find out what their community's needs are, then as a church group, help with those needs. It may be hot meals, it may be people who know how to use chainsaws or how to clean up yards. It might be clean clothes in certain sizes. It might be ice.

 

[marybet]

I saw Gov. Bently on TV today and he said they had more than enough volunteers. The OP is right, you just can't show up without a plan.

After Hurricane Ivan my stepson & his wife came from Texas to help. They didn't ask they just came. While it was nice, it used up our limited resources. Half the house was uninhabitable, we only had a small generator, no hot water. Had they asked first we would have told them not to come. We had about 20 trees down they brought chain saws to help with the removal. In 4 hours they moved one tree, than a tree service showed up and gave us a great price to remove them all. So their help really wasn't needed.

Make sure you are needed before you go.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

We just had tornado damage here and the firm message is you are not wanted in the neighborhood. They have organized help already from disaster volunteers.

Locally our Salvation Army is taking money to help. We were assured that every penny donated to the tornado victims would go to the tornado victims.

 

[Buckalew11]

I have a young friend who attends Lee in Cleveland TN who went out for the past 2 days working and helping people in subdivisions there.

Speaking of helping...do you remember the flooding in Nashville? They are still doing cleanup there...the Presbyterian Church has a 5 year plan of rotating teams of volunteers there for days to weeks at a time. 5 years!! I had no idea Nashville's trouble was so huge.
I cant imagine AL's.

 

[horseshowmom]

The worst tornado that we got here in MS that claimed at least 15 lives so far happened only 15 min from my house. I know at first they would not let anyone in at all unless they were emergency respondants or had some reason they should be there. Homeland Security was there and strictly enforced it thankfully.

However, after that first night (when the tornado struck) and the next day, they did let people 16 yo and over start volunteering to help with cleanup and feeding people and giving them supplies, etc. They DID ask that noone just drive up and start volunteering though. They asked you call the Red Cross 1st to see where you were needed. The Red Cross would then give a safety orientation and put people where they felt they were most valuable. I had to work and could not volunteer but my husband and a lot of people I know did and this is how it was handled. FEMA also arrived around this time to help organize everything.The amount of help that we have received here from people both in our area and that aren't even from here has been amazing and humbling. Over 1000 homes were completely destroyed and nearly 3000 were damaged in my state and 35 people have been confirmed dead so far. Some are still missing. Donations are just as valuable as those who are volunteering, that's for sure.

We have a group from our church going to Smithville tomorrow (my daughter and son-in-law are going). They announced last night that the group would have to register with FEMA when they got there and be assigned work.

 

[golfgal]

I agree-more often than not they do NOT want people just showing up. Whenever there has been a tornado here they always say "if we need help we will let people know but for now, please stay away". What they need most is monetary donations. Perhaps organizing a collection in your area would be more helpful than driving up there.

 

[HsvTeacher]

I live in Huntsville, AL, and they are asking that volunteers register at designated sites. They will then give you an armband and tell you which neighborhood needs help.

They are encouraging volunteers NOT to show up in the neighborhoods without the armbands, or they will be turned away. Since there is still a dusk to dawn curfew in place, the authorities are arresting people who are not supposed to be in the area after dusk.

 

[Disney Doll]

I would think that rather than jumping in the car and driving down to the damaged areas, you would do better if you hooked up with some kind of disatarer relief agency such as the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Habitat for HUmanity, Doctors without Borders, AmeriCares etc. The last thing the authorities need down there is a bunch of people running around willy-nilly. If you are with an agency, there will be some organzation to the process and it will be more effective.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Sometimes, disasters just need strong people.

In today's sue happy society, I would honestly be hesitant about showing up on someone's doorstep to offer help. Plus I have kids who are too young and we would be a disruption rather than a help.

Anyway--sometimes, help doesn't have to be the formal kind. Not everyone has a demolished house. Someone may need help going through stuff. Someone who is operating a mobile soup kitchen just needs an individual server. The list goes on.

If I had a relative in the area, I would probably go and help THEM. But as folks have said--sometimes, more people is just an issue. When there is a total loss, it isn't like they can toss the roof in the back of their Honda and hall it to the dump.

Plans are necessary to keep things organized and to prevent unnecessary problems and injuries.

 

[live4christp1]

We attend church in one of the communities in GA that was hit pretty hard, they actually had damage from all 3 tornados that went through the area Wednesday. Our pastor asked everyone to come ready for work on Sunday and we did. We had a short time of people giving praise/testimony of God's goodness. The pastor gave a short briefing of the families from our congregation that had been affected and a short message and then we dispersed into teams depending upon what we were able to do. DH is deployed and I had the kids (13 & 8) so we ended up at a house just picking up debris from the yard. Trying to find anything salvagable they might like to keep. You could spend hours just going around picking up roofing shingles and insulation. DS found a wedding band. We moved broken boards, picked up shingles, branches, trash, various debris, helped take apart the chain link fence that had been destroyed. DD helped sort pictures they had laid out to dry into piles of clean dry pictures and pictures that were dry but had mud & dirt on them.

There are lots of churches helping and I know they are letting people come in and volunteer to either sort clothes that have been donated, prepare & deliver food, etc. as well as go out into the communities and help were they can. We had 3 different groups come through in the time we were there with cold bottle waters, sandwiches, and chips for the families and for the workers & volunteers out in the communities.

So proud of my kids they worked hard and never once complained and were eager to do any task appointed to them. DD sat in the back seat on the way home playing her Nintendo DS with her earbuds in and every few minutes I'd hear a line of some hymn or some praise come from the back seat "Jesus is coming" "I will bless the Lord" and little utterances in between were she would be talking to herself not realizing I was listening "I'm scared of Jesus coming back but know I will be happy" "God is good".

A big thing everyone can do is pray - there are thunderstorms & rain in our forecast for today & tomorrow and I know it's going to be hard for some people, especially some of the kids who went through the brunt of this storm, I think about my nephew who is just 7 and the picture of the space he, my niece and his dad were in - the most part of the house being ripped from around them (they had gone to a neighbors house thinking it would be safer than their trailer - their trailer sits untouched - the only thing standing in the house is the bathroom & laundry room) - there are many more stories just like this. I am afraid those kids are going to have a hard time with storms. Also a lot of the families that's homes were not totally lost but received some major damage are trying to get them in the dry so that the rain doesn't make things worse.

Thank you all and sorry to go on for so long. My heart has been so heavy with all this.

On the down side - we saw lots of people (tags from different areas) just driving around the neighborhoods taking pictures, more traffic than I have ever seen in the area - causing traffic congestion. A sign in one yard stated it appropriately "Don't just look - help someone". All of us can't be there to help, there are those who are physically unable to or logistically unable to - but my opinion is if you have time to drive around and take pictures of other peoples misfortune then surely you have time to lend a hand. Just don't get the looky - lou's.

We live about 15 minutes outside this community and Sunday was the first time we had been there - I was shocked at the destruction. Hope that we will be able to put in more hours to help. Our schedule can be kind of crazy with DH gone. We were only without power for about 15 hours so we have made our home available for any friends who needed to do laundry, take a hot shower, get a hot meal, just needed to remove themselves from the location for a bit, or needed a place to sleep. Saturday we had soups & chili and other foods available for anyone who came by and had some friends take me up on the offer to wash clothes and charge electronics, go online for a bit just to catch up on things.

So I say - Do what you can wether it be physically helping, making a donation, etc. I know it's all very much appreciated. My heart is broken for this community that even though we live outside it (across the state line actually), it has been a part of our lives for 13 years and to see the amounts of destruction was surreal. Homes demolished, a whole apartment complex destroyed and now condemned, trailers that are gone with only the blocks they were sitting on remaining.

 

[minkydog]

Thank you all for verifying what i felt: that it would be irresponsible to just show up in the disaster zone. I thought it sounded rash when the pastor suggested it. He's young and may not really understand these things. At any rate, you've given me some good suggestions and I plan to follow up with my local district office. For the time being I will limit my assistance to monetary donations. I'm sure the Red Cross can use some dead presidents.