Dispatches from Disaster, Part III

Here is the last installment from my questions to Linda Coordes who responded to the tornado devastation in Alabama. To see the previous posts click here and here.

I asked Linda what she thought was the most beneficial training that she had received that helped her with the disaster response.

The CERT training really helped me understand the steps and protocol of the response. The search and rescue markings were familiar and therefore less intimidating. The incident command system was easier to understand. The first aid training gave me confidence as I ventured into unfamiliar and sometimes downright dangerous territory. Both CERT and Red Cross emphasized the importance of being prepared to take care of my own needs. This was critical. Basic necessities we take for granted are often unavailable in the field. When they can be obtained they are first directed to the victims. I was told to take EVERYTHING I might need, I did, and I was thankful. The Red Cross training specifically helped me understand my role and expectations as a Red Cross volunteer. It offered scope, structure, and purpose to my experience. Since I deployed in the area of Disaster Mental Health I also used my education and experience as a Licensed Social Worker. So in a nutshell, I was able to combine my background and who I already am as a person and a professional with new skills acquired through CERT and Red Cross to really make a difference for someone in crisis. I would definitely encourage anyone who wants to do disaster relief work to do so under the umbrella of a well-established volunteer organization (VOAD). Having recognizable identification makes all the difference in gaining access to affected areas. Having the infrastructure of the Red Cross provided the security, safety, and resources necessary to do the job I set out to do.

I also asked her what additional training or experience would she have liked to have had prior to responding.

Flexibility, flexibility, flexibility…can you teach that? Nothing short of experience could have prepared me for the amount of flexibility required to preserve my sanity. My new motto: “It is what it is…” There is so much you have no control over, and that includes your own personal comfort. In the midst of a disaster relief operation you may or may not have your own basic needs met. You may or may not be able to provide what the victims really need. You have to draw on every ounce of compassion, understanding, and patience you possess…not only for the victims but for the other responders as well. Take a good sense of humor and a large dose of self-care. I’m not sure how to teach it, but it’s essential to survival. I guess you just have to live it, and then share what you can…learn from each new experience. Maybe being a rookie was a good thing, I had no expectations (or at least none that were realistic) and everybody said “every disaster is different”. Nobody with experience could compare this response operation to any other. Maybe that in itself is the voice of experience, understanding that everything you experience will be new and different. Don’t make any plans that cannot be easily changed each and every step of the way.

We are so proud of our local volunteers doing great work! If you are interested in becoming a Red Cross volunteer and responding to disasters in our area and all over world, click here for more information.