Any AS members headed south for volunteer work?

[procarbine2k1]

As the title says, anyone headed south this week? Whos going where?
Its a far shot for me with work and all, but would like to team up with some others to help some folks out, but dont know how to go about it. Feel free to chime in guys...

 

[Teddy.Scout]

I did what I can for the folks, well in the electrical sense. made it as far as Roanoke, Va. But decided to stay north with the family.
Others by far took my place, to much going here with the homestead to stay south for now. I served more then one tour of duty south, LAST YEARS ICE STORM WAS ONE TO REMEMBER!

Will admit, all good people down that way!!!!

 

[Hank Chinaski]

FWIW: the "trend" is going to be toward tighter disaster relief regulation thru FEMA etc. Before long you will have to have proper documentation/badges and be part of a nationally recognized group etc to get into an area (unless you live there or can prove family does)

If you think you will be interested in helping out in the future, I'd suggest looking into joining one of the organizations found here:
Welcome to National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster

I'm part of the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, and membership is wide ranging. It's not all a bunch of uptight holier than thou type folks, but more like a lot of folks willing to help others, work hard, and we believe in God. We'd welcome any and all to our organization and appreciate all the help we get. We work hard, eat good, and most important, we touch peoples lives when they need it most.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering and helping.

 

[Currently]

Guys, if you have the time or if you are semi retired or can afford to take some time off, it is bad here.

You can only come if you are part of a recognized group, security is high because of obvious reasons such as looting and "predators".

A church group asked me to join them yesterday and I accepted because I missed all the damage happening around me and could not say no. Watching those storms coming right at you with no storm shelter in my home knowing how bad those EF4 and EF5 tornados coming at you and the damage they can do.

Kind of puts life in a different perspective ...

Spent 5 and a half hours working on three trees twisted together on the ground. It was the nastiest piece of cutting I ever did in my life because of all the forces in the limbs jumbled together. I had 6 to 8 inch limbs leaping 6 inches to a foot when they were severed. Finally ended the day with breaking the handle on the MS390.

The work I did impacted me so much I went and ordered and new handle for the chainsaw and bought the last MS362 in the county so I can keep helping folks.

Dealer treated me right, had a 16 inch bar and chain on it and I asked him to remove it cause I will never use it. We put the 20 inch bar and chain I had on the MS390 and he took off retail price of the bar and chain that was on the new saw.

Most of the hardware stores were running on generator power helping the folks coming in near the storm areas.

Spirit of community is quite amazing.

OH ... BTW, I now have to thank y'all for this new disease called CAD y'all infected me with. :msp_tongue:

 

[zogger]

You can't get in

the extremely hard hit areas are closed off for the most part, they won't let you in most likely. The lesser to moderate areas hit...nothing is an emergency and it is just work, a lot of it paid. These are homeowners with just trees down...they aren't devastated. There's just a lot of them. People are asking for free labor, but it ain't like their houses are smashed or anything, they just want to milk out free labor. Well, that's what insurance is for.

Like the others said, unless part of a well organized group that the "man" recognizes, they won't let you in.

Last fall we got hit with a small tornado, put a hugemongous red oak branch in our living room, and assorted other destruction. No one came up to see if we were OK or anything, just rubbernecked on by. I went up on the roof by myself while the storm was still blowing hard and trimmed branches enough to get a tarp over the whole mess, later on some guys came by with business cards..that's it, just want to be paid.

I'm working on a huge mess right now, the owner here, my boss, hired some bucket truck part timers to come and drop this big pine tree....both guys in the bucket, no ground crew, just bombed it down in huge chunks. I'm out there now with a tractor and chains and get to untangle it and cut it up and clean it up..what a mess...ya, I'm steemed over it. Taking a break right now but back at it shortly. Trying to get the big chunks out and flat before I start cutting, dangerous pile right now they left. DBH around 40 something inches, so ya, some big chunks mixed in with smaller tangled stuff all under spring pressure.

But..we got spared again. Other folks just a few miles north of me didn't fare as well..a lot of that area still closed off, they are still looking for missing people and stuff.

 

[caleath]

http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/160653-559.htm

This is a link with some pics too.

And yes to the snarls of trees...they do some strange stuff when you cut em loose.


I did some in Okl and here in Texas this week. Please get in with a group if you can. I work with Christian Disaster Relief. We have folks that go out ahead of the crews lining up work for those without insurance etc. Let them know the circumstances that its free etc. We have marked vehicles and badges. Sometimes we have to line up work through the Baptist org. they are much larger and well known.

I have to say this is the most rewarding volunteer work I have ever done. I am setting aside one week of my vacation this year if we end up going to Alabama. Truth is we have had our lions share here.

Do it you wont regret it a bit.

 

[Philbert]

We'd welcome any and all to our organization and appreciate all the help we get.

So, #37, if I ran across you guys in the field; had my own saw, chaps, etc.; and we weren't Facebook, I mean A.S., buddies; would your group let me work alongside you?

I know that some organizations, for example, require a background check, orientation, and maybe even a training session or two before they accept new volunteers, for reasons of safety, liability, and to insure that they are following the same mission.

Would it be different to use your equipment, if I was just dragging brush, etc.?

What would I have to do to get one of the yellow T-shirts!?!

Philbert

 

[rwoods]

If you follow the rules, before you load up and come to an area, you need a local contact and be credentialed to get into the area. Search and rescue is the number one priority and this may take some time. After that credentialed folks can get in the zone. Your credentials can come through accompanying a victim, being a part of a recognized relief organization, or securing special permission from the government. Most, if not all, relief organizations require special training and other credentials which you must get beforehand. Securing special permission is very difficult unless you are known to the official and have some unique service to offer - two reasons, they have more to do than take time to check you out and they (and the agency they represent) assume some liability by letting you into the area (injury, property damage and theft). The group I helped organize to clear roads only got in one full day afterwards because I and another both had access to and credibility with the Sheriff and we represented to him that our small group would consist of only hand picked individuals - skilled cutters from our community firewood ministry and laborers from a local church known for its community service.

In Katrina type emergencies, where responders are overwhelmed etc., some may take matters into their own hands and fare well and do good but at the risk of arrest and uninsured liability.

Ron

 

[Hank Chinaski]

So, #37, if I ran across you guys in the field; had my own saw, chaps, etc.; and we weren't Facebook, I mean A.S., buddies; would your group let me work alongside you?

I know that some organizations, for example, require a background check, orientation, and maybe even a training session or two before they accept new volunteers, for reasons of safety, liability, and to insure that they are following the same mission.

Would it be different to use your equipment, if I was just dragging brush, etc.?

What would I have to do to get one of the yellow T-shirts!?!

Philbert

Philbert,
(speaking for OUR unit, not the state/national) if you were a local (in the disaster) you'd be welcome to help, but you'd be limited to pulling etc, unless you could prove somehow to our crew that you "knew what you were doing" ie show up w/your own dirty PPE, an obviously used 660, and calluses or similar. We don't usually saw around non team members running saws or big equip as we're not used to them. If you were already working on your house/neighborhood, and we observed you operating in a safe manner etc, we'd be good to go and gladly welcome you.

To get a spiffy yellow shirt that magnetically attracts saw oil/fuel/grease, you'd have to go thru state level training, which is minimal, and not very "hands on saw" oriented, and one of the things our unit is changing.

FWIW: we expect to know tomorrow if we're loading up for Alabama or not (AR is currently under severe flood warnings wheee...) so if we go, I'll be gone a week or so.

 

[Philbert]

(speaking for OUR unit, not the state/national)

Thanks #37,

That's similar to our group (except almost everybody who helps gets a T-shirt). We do a classroom/field training (pre-disaster) for using our saws. More flexible on everything else.

When working with homeowners, I frequently loan them a set of chaps, end up sharpening and adjusting their chain, etc.

We have some guys in St. Louis and Some in Mississippi. I feel bad that I cannot go due to conflicts.

Philbert

 

[Hank Chinaski]

Thanks #37,

That's similar to our group (except almost everybody who helps gets a T-shirt). We do a classroom/field training (pre-disaster) for using our saws. More flexible on everything else.

When working with homeowners, I frequently loan them a set of chaps, end up sharpening and adjusting their chain, etc.

We have some guys in St. Louis and Some in Mississippi. I feel bad that I cannot go due to conflicts.

Philbert

The association is a little "uptight" on the yellow shirt/hat thing.

But it's an excellent idea we could come up with either some church hats/shirts or maybe some razorback ones for folks out of state. I'll run that past our folks in charge and see what they think. Thanks! :msp_biggrin:

 

[Teddy.Scout]

Thing to remember when helping or working in hard hit areas (disasters) is the hidden dangers I.E. gas line, power lines, ect. that pose huge risks. not to mention the usual dangers with trees, unstable areas. What can be a HUGE help to the areas besides a strong back and eagerness to help, is the nominal or over look things! Such as hot coffee or food to those working in or on the areas. I hot cup of coffee or warm food is a amazing boost to moral and more then likely moral needed when working in those (ripped up shredded areas).

On a side note, it is funny to see how when working the area, the OLDER generations, seem to be the ones who can weather(well, atleast) maintain the loss of such losses of electrical or gas. But never the less, they are also the easiest to be the ones most effected.

One year working a storm, a 82 year old women brought us hot coffee and up-side-down pine apple cake were the whole neighbor hood lost all roads for 2 days and power for 9 days. Once we got there, this ol'lady was a god sent! That was more then a moral boost to get a treat like that! When in general in such areas you get bagged cold food to eat for days on end. (that lady obviously saved her peculator and could cook with out electricity) Gas!

 

[Philbert]

FEMA LInks for Volunteers

Pretty much what has been said in this and related links, but includes some specific contact information for those states affected:

FEMA Blog: Donating or Volunteering To Help Disaster Survivors

Philbert