Red Cross teams head for Texas storm site

Local News

July 24, 2008

By Susan Brittingham The McAlester News-Capital Thu Jul 24, 2008, 09:35 AM CDT

Surely somebody who lives in south Texas, where a hurricane was about to make landfall, thought “Well hello, Dolly. It’s so wonderful the Red Cross is here.”

People have come to depend upon the Red Cross being there to help out before, during and, for awhile, after a disaster. That’s why the local American Red Cross sent two people to south Texas in the Emergency Response Vehicle that belongs to this chapter.

“They called for the first round of people to go, and our people are on that first round call, so we sent two people to southern Texas in the ERV,” Billie Lester said. “We sent Judy and Ray West, who are from Idabel.

“They took our ERV and an interesting thing about that ERV is that it’s the oldest ERV in operation that they still use. It has made every major disaster since it was built.

“We just keep putting it back together and making it work.

“One reason our ERV goes out so much is the extremely high amount of training our volunteers have had,” Lester said. “Not just anybody can take out an ERV. You’ve got to have some training first, and we’re always looking for people who want to volunteer for the Red Cross and help out during disasters.”

ERVs from around the country have set up in different areas of south Texas, just waiting to hear where they will be stationed, now that Hurricane Dolly has made landfall.

Lester said she isn’t sure just exactly where the ERV driven by the Wests is right now, but she’s expecting them to call her today to let her know.

While in south Texas, the Wests will be serving hot meals out of the ERVs. “As soon as they’re allowed to go in” to the hurricane-ravaged area “they’ll be giving out food and clean-up kits and probably comfort kits, too, with things like toothpaste and deodorant.

“They’ll also give out Teddy bears and Mickey Mouses that are made by Disney. You can’t buy those Teddy bears and Mickey Mouses. They are made special, just for the children who’ve been in a disaster.”

Lester said she will keep the News-Capital apprised of how things are going with the Wests and she will describe the devastation Hurricane Dolly wrought and that they’re seeing firsthand.

She also said that anyone interested in taking Red Cross training so that they can someday go out and help people who are facing disasters should call the Red Cross office at 423-0481.

Contact Susan Brittingham at 421-2029 or e-mail sbrittingham@mcalesternews.com.

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