After Irma: On the Ground in Florida with National Service Members
By Chester Spellman, Director of AmeriCorps
Recently, I traveled to Southwest Florida to meet with AmeriCorps members supporting Hurricane Irma recovery efforts. This was my first trip as Director of AmeriCorps.
I was joined by fellow Floridian and Director of Senior Corps, Debbie Cox Roush and Acting NCCC Director (and AmeriCorps alum!) Gina Cross. We visited AmeriCorps Disaster Response Team members from the Conservation Corps Minnesota and Iowa and the Washington Conservation Corps. We also visited AmeriCorps NCCC and FEMA Corps members. To date, more than 900 AmeriCorps members have responded across the state of Florida.
Here are five observations from the field:
1. I was immediately struck by the dedication and passion of our AmeriCorps members. They have boundless energy and are committed to helping Florida recover. In spite of working twelve hour days, they are still full of spirit and enthusiasm at the end of the day.
2. AmeriCorps service is not only an investment in communities, but in the life of the member. They learn valuable skills and develop an ethos of service that will follow them for their entire lives. AmeriCorps service also gives members confidence that will allow them to do great things for America. As one member told my colleague, Debbie, "After my service year, I can go on and do anything."
3. The service provided by these members is very valuable to communities and it is not easy work. AmeriCorps members in Southwest Florida are clearing debris, mucking and gutting homes, placing tarps on damaged roofs, and more. This is important work that is essential to the recovery process after a disaster like Hurricane Irma.
4. I observed how thankful individual homeowners and the community at-large are to have AmeriCorps members serving in their community. During last week’s trip I observed AmeriCorps members helping a homeowner remove a large tree that fell on his fence. I had the chance to meet this homeowner. He was extremely thankful and credited AmeriCorps members for doing a task that as he said, "I would never be able to do on my own."
5. Finally, national service plays a key role in helping communities respond to and recover from disasters. AmeriCorps members have helped hundreds of homeowners through damage assessments, roof repairs, hazardous tree removal, and wellness checks and have cleared more than 6,400 cubic yards of debris. (That’s 355 dump trucks!)
AmeriCorps members are making a difference in communities across America each and every day, but there is rarely a time when the impact of national service is more visible than during times of disaster. I am proud of the work that these national service members are doing in Florida in response to Hurricane Irma. It was an honor to have the opportunity to meet them and see firsthand the impact of their service.
National #PrepareAthon Day is tomorrow (April 30). It's a great time to discover tools and techniques that can help in the event of an emergency or disaster.
AmeriCorps 20th Anniversary August theme is Disaster Services. During this month, AmeriCorps NCCC and FEMA Corps members are reflecting on their disaster services projects.
An American flag flying in Wessington Springs, SD
Pulling in to Wessington Springs for the first time was like an earthly encompassment of a movie from the 1950s. Everything seemed to have its place; people waved and smiled as we drove by, yards were trimmed and utilized by little ones basking in their fresh summer freedom, and the small strip of store fronts were closed long before twilight. The clean calmness of the town wasn't what the team expected when asked to dedicate a month’s time to disaster response. From the surface, it lacked chaos, emotion, and visible destruction.
It didn't take long to figure out that the lack of the aforementioned wasn't something that was absent at all; it was only masked by the sheer emotional strength, dedication, and love that the people of Wessington Springs had in their hearts and hands.
Destruction caused by a tornado in Wessington Springs, SD. Kristina's team responded to the city and assisted the residents in recovering from
the disaster.
Although we arrived only ten short days after the tornado claimed its path through the town, thousands of volunteers from surrounding communities, including the National Guard, gifted their time and heavy machinery to conduct a timely cleanup of homes and trees that succumbed to the storm. The team realized that there was beauty behind this all; the leftover destruction wasn't what we expected because this town wasn't the norm. Although multiple homes were flattened by the tornado or condemned, the townspeople didn't focus on what they had lost. They chose to be thankful for their lives, for what possessions they had left, and began moving forward immediately.
Personally, the most challenging part of this project was not the work itself. The long hours moving heavy debris in 90 degree weather, raking for small pieces of glass, roofing, and insulation, battling ticks and chiggers while searching through tall grass for all things inorganic; these were not the challenges. The real challenge was becoming acquainted with the people whose property we worked on. Having them tell their story while picking up fragments of sheetrock that was painted in shades of pink and purple that obviously once made up the walls of their little girl’s room. Seeing how tired they were, but how much drive and hope they had to become settled again. Watching a family as they stood across the street from the excavator that was busy tearing down their damaged home, room by room. Meeting kids that have become afraid of the siren that wailed daily to signify noon. Accepting food and kind words from people who amongst the misery and disarray of losing their home, vehicles, and everything besides their foundation, managed to find the time and energy to ensure that we were comfortable and welcomed in their town. That was the challenge. I couldn't help but wish I could spend more time there attempting to right every woe that these amazing people had faced.
This type of work can really cause one’s equilibrium to dance like an EKG reading; there were so many ups and downs. The team took time every day to collect themselves however they chose. Some cooked, while others watched movies, drew, or took a nap. Whatever outlet they opted for, we all acknowledged the importance of having that time to disconnect. Personally, I decompressed by going for evening walks or morning runs; there was something about the town at these two times that really eased my mind.
Kristina, team leader of Oak 1 from the North Central Region
I am proud to say that we left this town with more friends than we arrived with, and that our sweat, cuts, bruises, and sore muscles were the result of some of the hardest and most rewarding work that we had encountered. It is impossible to summarize my disaster project in just one simple sentence, but I can say that it has opened my eyes to the endless potential that is derived through the human desire to care, love, and serve; something that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
For more information about AmeriCorps NCCC and FEMA Corps disaster services efforts, please visit www.americorps.gov/nccc or email [email protected].
Getting Things Done Before, During, and After Disasters
By Kelly DeGraff
AmeriCorps 20th Anniversary August theme highlights crucial national service
As part of the 20th anniversary of AmeriCorps, we are observing August as Disaster Services month. Together with our partners, members, and alumni, we'll highlight the many ways that AmeriCorps makes America more resilient.
AmeriCorps brings a wealth of disaster experience, knowledge, and muscle to communities. The AmeriCorps 20th Anniversary Disaster Toolkit contains an overview of how AmeriCorps supports organizations and government agencies with disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery. In the toolkit you’ll find key messages, talking points, statistics, and online resources. You'll also find ways to engage and help spread the message about our key role in disaster services.
Here's how you can get involved:
August 14 will be Disaster Service Day of the “A”! Share your best disaster photos that show the AmeriCorps “A” on your favorite social network. Be sure to tag them with #DayofTheA and #DisasterServe.
Social Media: follow us throughout the month and share our posts (and the toolkit) widely on Twitter and Facebook using #DisasterServe -- and tag @nationalservice or @americorps too.
AmeriCorps grantees: Dedicate a Day of Service to disaster preparedness and pledge to participate in PrepareAthon.
Alums and members: Tell your story! Share your disaster experience with your friends, family, and online through social media. And send them to us at [email protected].
We’re excited to share all of the incredible blogs, tweets, and pictures of where we’ve been and how we’ve served for the last 20 years. Please join us in celebrating the contributions of AmeriCorps to disaster service!
Kelly DeGraff is the Senior Advisor for Disaster Services at the Corporation for National and Community Service.
