Having worked with the Red Cross for several years, I have wanted to go on a Disaster Response (DR) for quite some time now, but things haven’t meshed. So when I was asked to go to Arkansas following the
tornadoes in Mena, I was quite excited to have this opportunity. Getting to go out on a DR really reminds us why we do what we do.
Being a rookie, I was very excited to be joined by veteran
volunteer Judy Jehling. Judy has already been on 6 DR assignments beginning in 2005 with the Hurricane Katrina response. Judy was able to share a wealth of information with me from her client casework experience on both national disasters and as a member of our local Disaster Action Team (DAT).
Upon our arrival in Arkansas, we were greeted by Walt and Denise Waltheimer, who work out of the Metro East Service Center. It’s kind of funny how we had to leave the St. Louis Area to work with people who are part of our own chapter. They have been very supportive and great to work with.
Mena, Arkansas, is in the Ouachita Mountains, and the country is beautiful. It is surrounded by lush forests and gorgeous hills. One can only imagine what it looked like before the tornado. The devastation in Mena has been astonishing and heartbreaking. There are entire blocks of houses gone; the sheer power of nature is unbelievable.
I’ve been working primarily on outreach, meaning we go to homes and try to make contact with the people we haven’t heard from. The people that I have met have been so appreciative of what the Red Cross and our partner agencies are doing to help the people of Mena get back on their feet.
I’ve also been working with a computer system to log all of the cases that we open. It is not a “glamorous” job by any means, but it’s important. In order for us to serve our clients to the fullest, it is essential that every part comes together, no matter how big or small.
Elena
Elena Sabin is the Community Disaster Education Specialist for the St. Louis Area Chapter.