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NW Missourians among Sandy volunteers
- As a massive relief effort along the East Coast in response to superstorm Sandy moves into high gear, a small group of northwest Missouri volunteers have placed themselves in the thick of efforts to aid those forced from their homes.
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FACT BOXNow is the time to begin storm kit 'process'When the news got out that a monster storm was bearing down on the East Coast, people in the hurricane’s path flocked to stores to stock up on supplies. Many who put off preparing for superst...» Read moreXNow is the time to begin storm kit 'process'When the news got out that a monster storm was bearing down on the East Coast, people in the hurricane’s path flocked to stores to stock up on supplies. Many who put off preparing for superstorm Sandy faced empty shelves when they went out to buy batteries, nonperishable foods and other items.
Hurricanes usually don’t pose much of a threat to Missouri, but the Show-Me State does see floods, severe winter storms and, as residents of Joplin remember all too well, tornadoes. You can beat the rush and avoid a last-minute scramble by gathering most of your disaster supplies right now, before there’s even a hint of nasty weather in the forecast.
"The main thing is to get started," said Sherry Nelson, University of Missouri Extension human development specialist.
"A couple of reasons people might not prepare is that they feel overwhelmed by the process, and that they can’t afford to do 'all that stuff,'" Nelson said.
"A better way to look at preparedness is to see it as a process that we do over time. And we continue to update it, such as by changing our weather radio and smoke alarm batteries twice a year."
Households need three things to be prepared for weather emergencies: emergency supplies, a weather radio and a disaster plan.
Emergency supplies
You might already have some of the basic items for an emergency supplies kit in your home, so you could make a good start on disaster preparations by locating those items— such as flashlights and batteries, a first-aid kit and rain gear — and gathering them in one convenient location.
If you have nonperishable, easily prepared food on hand, you might move some of it from the pantry shelves to your disaster kit. Remember to check the expiration dates on this food when you change batteries in your weather radio and smoke alarms.
If anyone in your household has specific medical needs such as daily medication for diabetes, heart conditions or high blood pressure, you’ll need to have those in your kit or as a "grab and go" item, Nelson said.
Weather radio
Just like smoke detectors, a weather radio should be a basic item of safety equipment in every home.
Weather radios are designed to receive information broadcast by the National Weather Service’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Many models can be programmed to sound an alarm when NOAA broadcasts emergency warnings for your area and range in price from about $20 to $100 or so.
Select a model with battery backup so that it will sound even if the power goes out. Test the radio regularly to make sure it will work when you need it.
Disaster plan
A disaster plan tells everyone in the family what they’re going to do when an emergency happens. A complete disaster plan will include information about each family member, household pets, insurance and finances, medications, vehicles, and the home and its contents.
You can download a disaster plan template at www.extension.missouri.edu/emw1011.
The PDF file can be filled out electronically, so you can update it frequently, easily print new copies and save backups on multiple devices and online in the cloud. -
As a massive relief effort along the East Coast in response to superstorm Sandy moves into high gear, a small group of northwest Missouri volunteers have placed themselves in the thick of efforts to aid those forced from their homes.
Kevin Kirby, executive director of the Midland Empire Chapter of the American Red Cross, said that a five-member team, including two people from the Maryville area, arrived at staging areas in New York and New Jersey early this week.
The two Nodaway County volunteers are Shoba Brown of Maryville and Hopkins resident Janet Crane. Kirby said the two women left for Middletown, N.Y., on Saturday, making the 1,222-mile trip in the chapter's emergency response vehicle.
As the storm moved inland, Brown and Crane were helping to screen evacuees and find shelter for people fleeing heavily damaged neighborhoods along the coast. They also used their specially equipped vehicle to distribute relief supplies and transport food to emergency kitchens.
Reached by cell phone Tuesday morning, Brown said the two women arrived in Middletown in Orange County, N.Y., on Monday, having driven through strong winds and heavy rain. After spending Monday and Tuesday delivering food to shelters in and around Middletown, Brown said she was being sent to Long Island along with an 18-wheeler load of military-style instant meals.
Though too far inland to see much of the storm's worst damage, Brown said she and Crane encountered numerous downed power lines and tree limbs, adding that many communities well to the west of New York City were without power. The lights in Middletown, however, which is serving as a staging hub for much of the state, have remained on.
"We just got here and hit the ground running," Brown said. "As soon as we arrived it was 'do this and do that.'"
As for the other members of the northwest Missouri team, Joe Sorrento, St. Joseph, is in Princeton, N.J., helping run a mass food service operation, and Robert Gergeni, St. Joseph, and William King, Stewartville, are in Albany, N.Y., operating a pair of evacuation shelters.
Sorrento reported that, as of Tuesday, 47,000 people were living in shelters in New Jersey alone.
Only a small group of volunteers was sent from this area because airports along the coast were forced to close, making access difficult. Due to the huge amount of devastation expected, however, the Midland Empire Red Cross is seeking additional volunteers able to deploy when air travel resumes.
Prospective relief workers wishing to take the required one-day training must be in good health with no medical issues, Kirby said. They must also pass a background check and be willing to deploy for two to three weeks. The next training class will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 1, at the American Red Cross building, 401 N. 12th Street, in St. Joseph.
The class provides an introduction to disaster services and shelter operations.
Volunteers should understand that they may be called upon to work long hours in areas without electricity while sleeping on shelter floors or cots.
Kirby said the storm is expected to affect as many as 60 million people in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
"This storm is dangerous," he said. "Midland Empire communities will do their part to help, both with volunteers and donations, to help the families recover."
One thing northwest Missouri residents wishing to help should not do, Kirby said, is start collecting clothing and supplies for shipment to the East Coast. Without the right kind of logistics support, he said, such donations are apt to end up sitting outside in the rain or getting trucked to a landfill.
"We never want people to collect supplies," he said. "That creates a second disaster."
The best way to lend a hand, Kirby said, is through a financial gift to the Red Cross, which is providing shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance.
Anyone wishing to donate should go to www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be mailed to 401 N. 12th Street, St. Joseph, MO, 64501.
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