Hurricane Andrew - DR 850

Mike spent his 30th Anniversary with Prudential serving on his first national disaster. He flew to Jackson Mississippi on August 26, 1992 before going to disaster headquarters in Baton Rouge, LA. His first National assignment was to assess damage caused by Hurricane Andrew.

Getting Ready to go on a national assignment can be a bit stressful, especially if it is your first one. Disaster volunteers are weather conscience people. Warning of severe weather approaching starts the clock ticking in every volunteer’s mind. When will it get here? Where will I be? What plans do I need to change? You wash your clothes and your bags are ready to be packed – just in case they need you. Hurricanes give you plenty of warning. Tornadoes and earthquakes do not.

Mike knew Hurricane Andrew was on the way. It had been many months since he had received his training in damage assessment but he was eager to go. He, along with other volunteers, would drive through affected neighborhoods and categorize the damage as minor, major, or destroyed. This information would be used by the Red Cross to estimate the number of shelters needed and the number of people to feed. The information also serves an additional purpose. It can be used to verify the legitimacy of a request for assistance from a prospective client and minimizes fraudulent claims.

Mike learned a lot on his first disaster assignment. The three weeks he spent in Louisiana taught him more than he could ever learn in a classroom. Volunteers who serve on national disasters bring back new knowledge and valuable skills that benefit their local community. It’s a good feeling to know that, should a major disaster happen in High Point, Red Cross volunteers from across the country would be here to help, but it feels even better to know that we have experts, right here at home, ready to respond 24-7.