From Terrible to Terrific

"You look terrible."

In a normal situation, I'd be insulted after hearing that said to me.

However, after working the last twelve days non-stop for Hurricane Sandy, I've realized that times are definitely NOT normal - and my friend was right.

I look terrible.

Each morning, as I drag myself out of bed to get ready for another long day at work, I'm greeted by a raccoon in the mirror...the dark circles under my eyes are turning blacker and blacker as the days grind on, and no amount of concealer is covering the shadows.

I look terrible.

We've known for several days now that a winter storm - or, a "nor'easter", if I use proper New England terminology, was heading our way and expected to arrive this afternoon. I repeat...we've known for days.

And yet, today I was SLAMMED with an onslaught of requests from just about all 41 shelters in the state of New Jersey, begging for emergency supplies to ride out the storm...extra cots...extra blankets...extra flashlights...extra food and water....

We're talking over 600,000 people still without power, so the amounts requested were rather large...and so I was frantically trying to get the orders sent out as fast as they were coming in...with one eye watching the window so I could see when the storm arrived.

It arrived in full earnest about 3:00 pm, and the leadership told everyone to start wrapping it up and heading out, so we'd be home and sheltering in place before it got too dark and too dangerous.

What followed was a quite thorough appreciation of the New Jersey highway system, as it took a frustrating 90 minutes to travel a measly 16 miles...GAH. Crawling...a few inches at a time...I listened to music, watched the snow whipping through the clouds, and stared at the red tailights in front of me...for sixteen long miles and 90 long minutes.

Riding out a blizzard in a motel is quite fun, as you can hang out in the restaurant with dozens of other volunteers/friends, and tell war stories...there's not much else to do, as we've lost the cable television in our room, so we're deciding whether an American Red Cross snowball fight is in order, or if we should just make snow angels. For some of these volunteers, who've traveled from all over the country, it's their first time at seeing snow...so it's been rather fun seeing their reactions.

As for me, after hearing how terrible I looked, the only thing I wanted to do was to crawl up to my room, put on my jammies, blog...and then head to bed.

I plan on sleeping in, and enjoying my day off tomorrow. Snowed in can be quite fun, and I plan on making the most of it...by resting up.

I'll feel terrific.

Peace.

A Typical Day....

So, I've been offline for a few days...there's a good reason for that...

I'm exhausted.

My typical day begins with leaving the hotel at 7:00 am, and fighting bumper-to-bumper traffic on US 1 Highway....and sorry, New Jersey, but your "no left turns from the left lane" policy sucks.

After a 16-mile commute, I hit the ground running - checking for emailed requests for supplies, entering orders into the computer, and running around like crazy at HQ, finding or seeking the information that I need to do my job. It's frustrating, sometimes, because I feel that for every step forward I take, I take two steps back... there's constant interruptions, and everything is a priority.

Lunch is usually provided for us, so we can avoid taking time off to go get it ourselves. A styrofoam clamshell will sit beside my laptop, as I work and eat at the same time...which does wonders for my digestion.

Meetings, phone calls, requests, conferences - it never ends. My fingers fly across the computer keyboard as the day speeds along, and I stop every so often to stand up, stretch my back out a bit, and then start all over again.


A typical staff meeting....


Soon, darkness creeps in through the window by my workspace, and after twelve hours, it's time to call it a day and head home....

There...I collapse.

I'll call home, check on the family, put on my pajamas, and head to bed. Drained. Exhausted. And sometimes unable to sleep, as my brain rushes through images of everything I still have to accomplish the next day.

Here's the good news, though...after working non-stop for 12 straight days, I get to have a day off on Thursday. That will be my 13th day on the operation...and I plan on staying in my pajamas all day and get reacquainted with my Kindle.

Before then, though, a new storm is heading our way, so time was spent the last two days insuring that I'm prepared to ride it out. Extra bottled water, snacks, heater meals and blankets are safely stashed now in the motel room, as well as flashlights and warm clothing. Before I head off to work tomorrow, I have my boots, ice scraper and gloves ready to go - as temperatures are plunging and the winds are expected to pick up. Snow, icy rain, and 50+ mph wind gusts are forecast, and knowing that I'm here because of a HURRICANE - and I'm now in long underwear - is rather ironic.

The other good news is that the insanely-long gas lines are non-existant, now. I was able to pull right in last night and top off my tank, in preparation for the storm. However - New Jersey doesn't allow you to pump your own gas, which was a whole new experience for me. That was certainly weird.

Over 5,000 American Red Cross volunteers are deployed for Hurricane Sandy, making it one of the biggest disasters, in terms of logistics, for us. I'm just one small cog in the wheel, doing my part, and when I think of all of the other volunteers who left their family and homes to be here, it makes my heart proud to be part of not only this organization, but also this country.

So...I'm heading off to dreamland now...hopefully, we won't lose power in the next few days, as I'm really, really getting tired of this...and I can't help but be worried about everyone else who might lose power in this sub-freezing temperatures.

Prayers are needed, my friends.

Peace.

Saturday Night Ramblings from Somewhere in New Jersey

I'm eight days in now on this Disaster Response, and I'm to the point where I don't know what day it is - or for that matter, what state I'm in....

I left Maryland this morning with the intent to drive to New York...however, about midway there, I got orders to head to New Brunswick, New Jersey, instead. Flexibility and patience and a good sense of humor are extremely necessary when volunteering with the American Red Cross. So - to New Jersey, I went.

Being the smart person that I am, I topped off my gas tank at the very last exit in Delaware, and it's a good thing, as I was shocked when I came across my first "gas line." Wow. It's one thing to see it on CNN, but to see it in person? Miles of cars, parked along the side of the road, waiting forever to pull into the gas station... sometimes with a cop or two for traffic and temper control. Unbelievable.

I managed to make it to NJ with 3/4 of a tank still left, so I think I'm good for a few days...although HQ put me in a hotel about 17 miles from HQ, which makes for a long drive. And when gas is short - long drives are scary. Speaking of hotels, I'm in the EXACT same hotel I was in a year ago for Hurricane Irene - when I worked in Princeton, NJ...deja vu, huh? The hotel JUST got power as of 5:30 pm this afternoon, so I had incredible timing...as I didn't fancy taking another cold shower or dressing by flashlight.

Arriving at HQ, I was quickly put to work in Logistics again...although our internet here is hit or miss, so it was difficult getting my work done. I think people don't understand that we are affected by adverse conditions, as well...they don't realize that we can't always meet their needs with food or shelter, when we're working with no power, or no gas, or no water, as well. We don't have magic wands that we wave that makes everything all right...so patience, again, is a virtue. We're doing the best we can with the limited resources we have....

The other day, while watching a piece on CNN, I heard the Staten Island mayor mention the "big salaries" that American Red Cross people get. After picking myself up from the floor after laughing so hard, I was then a little ticked. Over 90% of the responders on a disaster are volunteers - I have yet to make one DIME in the seven years I've been doing this. Not that I deserve a golden halo - or a super hero badge - but I leave my comfortable bed, home and family - travel to adverse conditions - sometimes sleeping on a cold cot or the floor - working twelve hour days - dealing with HUGE issues and problems - for up to three weeks - and I do this for NOTHING. Because I want to make a difference in the lives of people affected by a disaster. Big salary, indeed.

Here in NJ, I'm dealing with downed power lines...intermittent power...no gas...few restaurants or amenities...sharing a room with a stranger...and I'm okay with that. I do what I have to do.

It's been a long day...and the next two weeks are going to be tough...for everyone involved.

Peace.

New York, New York

Start spreading the news...

Thought I was being re-deployed to New Jersey today for Hurricane Sandy relief efforts.

Found out I'm heading to New York tomorrow instead.

Yup.

I get to DRIVE...by MYSELF...to New York City.

I am so thrilled.

Not.

I am so a little bit apprehensive.

Yup.

This "small-town" girl - who doesn't necessarily like to drive in the "big city" of Kansas City - is so NOT looking forward to driving to New York tomorrow.

Not knowing the roads...not knowing the road closures due to the storm...not knowing if I'll even have enough gasoline for my little car...

This is going to be fun, fun, fun.

Not.

I keep telling myself that I recently drove from Kansas City to Florida - by myself - so this 5-hour drive should be a piece of cake...right?

I guess we'll see...cuz if I can make it there, I can make it anywhere...or so the song says, anyway....

Peace.

P.S. If you haven't figured it out, I didn't bring my laptop on this deployment...I'm typing my blog posts on an iPad...and I am not tech savvy enough to post/upload photos...so...my blog will be a little picture-shy until I get back home, which will be in about two weeks....

A Visit With the Senator

"It doesn't matter where you come from. This is the United States of America and it has to be neighbor helping neighbor. Your government is on your side and is grateful."

--U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)

While working at HQ today, it became very evident that a "big shot" had just walked in. An entourage of people, along with a television camera, made a dramatic entrance....I looked up to see what the hubbub was about, and noticed a little tiny, petite woman, surrounded by all sorts of aides in suits.

It was U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski, the longest serving female in Congressional history - and she was visiting Headquarters in Baltimore today.

I figured she would breeze in, do a cursory glance around, and then breeze out...but boy - was I ever wrong.

Senator Mikulski shook EVERY SINGLE PERSON'S hand in HQ today...and not only asked where we were from, but then thanked us for our volunteerism and service. She asked questions - "What are you doing?", or "How can we help you?" - and she actually REALLY listened.

I was impressed.



Our operations in Maryland and Delaware are winding down...the flood waters are receding, and the decision was made to send some volunteers, including myself, up north. Some are heading to New York, and some are heading to New Jersey.

I not only have family in NJ, but I also served there last year during Hurricane Irene - so I was hoping and praying I'd get marching orders for the Garden State, as I know the geography more than I know New York. My wishes came true, and in the morning, I'll be making the 3-hour drive north to Somerset, NJ to report to Headquarters there.

Conditions will be a bit more brutal...I'll be surprised if I end up in a motel, so I have a sleeping bag and air mattress on the ready, along with a pillow and blanket. Staff shelters - with sometimes hundreds of volunteers sleeping on cots 18" apart - are a necessary evil of a large-scale disaster. In Hattiesburg last month, for Hurricane Isaac, we had 250 people in a shelter with TWO showers. Fun times, fun times.

I'll be working at HQ again in Logistics, helping with Supply, Procurement or Transportation. Trying to supply thousands of volunteers will be a huge responsibility, and I've heard they're desperate for help. Twelve-hour days will be the norm, I'm sure.

In an "ideal" disaster deployment, an ARC volunteer can expect to have a day off after seven days on the job. Tomorrow is my 7th day, and I doubt I'll be seeing a day off for quite awhile - but that's the nature of the beast. I'm just trying to eat somewhat healthy, and rest when I can - and I know that my discomfort and exhaustion is temporary...and I keep that in mind when I feel like complaining. The residents affected by Hurricane Sandy aren't looking at "temporary" discomfort - some are looking at years of recovery...so I keep my mouth shut and carry on.

Tonight, it's with a bit of uncertainty that I sign off...will I have power tomorrow, so I can post? Who knows.... Will I have gas, so I can get to where I need to be in my rental car? I guess only time will tell....

Until then -

Peace.

Some facts:

*More than 7,000 people spent Wednesday night in 115 Red Cross shelters in 9 states.

*The Red Cross has served nearly 164,000 meals since the storm hit on Monday night.

*3,300 disaster workers have been deployed from all over the country.

*More than two-thirds of the ENTIRE Red Cross fleet are in the field for Hurricane Sandy...beginning to distribute meals, water and snacks in hard hit areas.