Guest column written by Marion Red Cross volunteer Ralph Smith
I once heard a story about a beachcomber who was walking along a beach. An observer could see him take a few steps then stop, bend over, pick something up and toss it into the waves. Then the old beachcomber would walk a little further and repeat the action.
The observer could stand it no longer so he approached the elderly gentleman and asked him what he was doing. The old man, dressed in flip flops and shorts, with a wide-brimmed hat on his head, said with a smile, “I’m throwing these stranded starfish back into the ocean so they don’t die.”
The observer gazed down the beach at the hundreds and hundreds of starfish lying on the beach and shook his head. Looking back at the withered old guy, he said, “There are thousands of starfish on the beach, do you seriously think your efforts will make a difference?”
The old man looked down at a starfish lying at his feet. He slowly bent over and picked it up, gazed at it a moment, then tossed it into the waves. As he moved on down the beach, he looked back and said, “It made a difference to that one.”
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Have you ever wondered how you can make a difference? You might consider making a difference right here in your own community by volunteering with the Marion County Chapter of the American Red Cross.
My interest lies in Red Cross Disaster Services. Members of the Disaster Action Team (DAT) are local volunteers. We deliver Red Cross services to persons affected by fires, high winds, flooding and other events. We assess and try to address their most immediate needs – typically providing emergency assistance with food, clothing and shelter. We also help them tap into other community resources.
When called upon, DAT volunteers provide canteen services for firefighters and law enforcement officers at disaster scenes. Some of our volunteers help identify potential shelter locations throughout the county and make arrangements to use them should the need arise. Some train other volunteers. Some help maintain equipment or make presentations to community groups about disaster preparedness.
We train new DAT volunteers so that they have the knowledge needed to make a difference. They are given an overview of the organization, learn skills like first aid and CPR, and get specialized instruction in disaster services. This includes evaluating and documenting victims’ needs, arranging for assistance (such as hotel stays or temporary debit cards to cover food and clothing expenses), and providing referrals. Those who are interested may receive additional training needed to assist with emergency shelter operations.
DAT recruits are assigned to teams of seasoned volunteers, giving them the opportunity to learn by doing while drawing on the experience of other team members. Teams take turns in an on-call rotation. Members, who are available when an event – such as a residential fire – occurs, meet at the Red Cross Chapter House and respond to the scene. Your team might go weeks without something happening on your watch. At other times, you may get two calls on the same night.
With continued participation and training, DAT members may also be recommended for deployment in disaster operations outside our immediate area. In the past, Marion County has sent volunteers to the Gulf Coast to assist with hurricane relief efforts. We have also provided volunteers, equipment, and supplies to help those affected by severe flooding in Ohio.
It isn’t always – or even often – glamorous work. You can get cold, wet and dirty at a disaster scene. Though fires happen at all hours, the ones you tend to remember occur at 3:00 in the morning. Chances are you’ll lose some sleep as a DAT member. And, you may be called on to make decisions that balance people’s needs and the Chapter’s ability to meet them. There are forms to be filled out, meetings to attend and equipment to inventory. It’s a long list.
However, if you ask me, it’s all worthwhile when someone who’s just lost everything but the clothes on her back shakes your hand and thanks you for helping her family. As a DAT volunteer, you’ll see friends, neighbors and perfect strangers confronting personal tragedy and loss. The good news is, you’ll be prepared and in a position to help them get through it and make a difference in their lives.
It’s hard for me to think of a more rewarding way to spend my free time. I invite you to consider volunteering with the Marion County Red Cross as a Disaster Action Team member or in some other capacity in 2012. For more information, call the Chapter at (740) 725-9141.
Ralph Smith has been a volunteer with the American Red cross for eleven years. Last year, Ralph and nearly one half million other American Red Cross volunteers across the country aided victims of nearly 70,000 disasters; taught lifesaving skills to millions of other Americans; assisted in collecting more than 3.5 million units of blood, and helped U.S. service members separated from their families stay connected. At the local level, the Red Cross partners with United Way of Marion County to offer programs that address disaster planning, prevention and response.
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