Cassandra Goulding’s career is helping people ? and last month she had opportunity to do just that with the relief efforts after Hurricane Ivan.
Caseworker for Clarkston Area Youth Assistance, Goulding is also a volunteer with the Genesee County Community Emergency Response Team, a program coordinated by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency to train people in disaster preparedness and basic disaster response skills.
In that role, Goulding was asked to join individuals from around the country being sworn in as ‘community relations officers? for FEMA. She was among more than 2,000 volunteers on hand in the disaster zone Sept. 10-24.
After basic training in Atlanta, Goulding joined a team of 25 in the Mobile, Ala., area after Hurricane Ivan hit the Florida panhandle and the Alabama coast.
Their job was to go door-to-door, to town meetings, post offices and ‘anywhere people would gather to assess the ‘immediate needs? of those hit by the hurricane-related storms.
‘Immediate needs were no electricity, no food, no water, no ice,? Goulding said. ‘That seemed to be pretty much the standard plea for help.?
Goulding and seven other team members concentrated on Monroe County, Ala., a rural area where farms and livestock were hit hard.
‘They could not cultivate their cotton crop. You could see the leaves on the cotton plants were black and dying,? she said, adding, ‘Everywhere you walked, there were pecans.?
The team found widespread impact which challenged emergency agencies? resources, but their job was to try to match needs with those resources.
‘There was a nursing home that had no food. We were helping with emergency needs right then and there, and also giving people the information they needed to apply for government assistance,? Goulding said.
Because of an accompanying effort to restore electricity, out-of-state electrical contractors had all the area hotels booked. Goulding’s team had to stay in Biloxi, Miss., a two-and-a-half hour drive from their disaster zone. With team meetings at the beginning and the end of each day, the work day tended to be 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
‘It was a weird concept, but we all seemed to lose track of time and days,? she said. ‘I’ve never been in a situation when one day just blended into another.?
While everyone has seen television images of such events, Goulding said the ‘widespread,? in-person perspective was more powerful.
When you think about it being miles and miles wide, that’s the part I wasn’t prepared for,? she said. ‘You hear about it, but when you actually see everywhere you go, for miles and miles, there’s some kind of damage. We saw bridges and roads washed out ? or blown out.?
The tragedy of the disaster, however, was accompanied by the triumph of the human spirit. Goulding said the reaction of the residents and the teamwork of the volunteers was a real positive.
‘We were so warmly welcomed by the people in the communities,? she said. ‘I think we gave them hope. They felt like somebody out there really cared. They were surprised to hear we were so far away from home.?
The volunteers came from as far away as Washington state and Oregon and included college students, a police SWAT leader, EMTs, firefighters and a member of the Minneapolis City Council. Goulding noted a young man from Idaho who didn’t really know what to do with his life.
‘At the end of the two weeks he was talking about becoming a fireman. It’s kind of like he found himself by helping other people,? she said.
By the end of the two-week period, the volunteers took comfort seeing some electricity restored to the area. One sign of restored civilization was a reopened McDonald’s. ‘But they didn’t have salad,? she said.
Perhaps more significant than the physical repairs was seeing the renewed spirit of the Alabama residents.
‘They truly are survivors. They’re ready to pick up and go on again,? she said.
Goulding also believes the experience shows both the need for volunteers and the willingness of people to help out in times of need. Whether through CERT, the American Red Cross or other charitable agencies, Goulding encourages folks to get involved.
She knows that message was learned in the disaster areas.
‘I’m sure they would have done the same thing for us,? she said. ‘I think that’s what makes our nation so great, is that people reach out and help each other.?