#worldcares

15 years after the attacks of 9-11-2001, 9 years after Hurricane Katrina, 4 years after SuperStorm Sandy and our responder community is still feeling the emotional toll of their work. The facts beckon the question: How can we protect our responders and caregivers from vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, PTSD, and work related depression amongst the other negative impacts of their work?

Must the responder and caregiver community suffer from this exposure to the extent that their lives as they know it are derailed? Marriages suffer, physical and mental health are damaged and an endemic of disassociation emerges.

Personal Protective Equipment is mandated to protect the physical health of workers, what is in place for emotional protection? 

More and more research shows us that emotional trauma damages the brain. Following a natural path can unchecked emotional trauma and diminished brain function lead to illnesses such as Alzheimer's and Dementia?

Training increases ones ability to understand and cope with responder trauma and move towards Trauma Stewardship.

As we await more details on yesterday’s devastating bombing attack at the Boston Marathon, we at World Cares Center want to extend our deepest sympathies to the victims and their families.  The city of Boston has endured a horrific crisis that harkens memories of the terrorist attacks of 9/11.  There is still so much that needs to be uncovered about the specifics of the attack itself, but we should take a moment to reflect on the response to the attack.  We’d like to acknowledge the fact that many medical personnel, police and military officers, and civilians worked together yesterday to respond quickly and decisively to meet the needs of the wounded.  There were many reports, from runners at the event, from Massachusetts Governor DevalPatrick, and from investigators, that volunteers made a huge difference in the response to this attack.  Whether they were called “helpers,” “volunteers,” or “concerned civilians,” their presence was felt at the moment of greatest need to do what had to be done – to help in any way they could by demonstrating what Governor Deval Patrick called “extraordinary kindness.”  

For some WCC volunteers, what started out as “pitching in” on weekends to cleanup and muck out homes in the months right after Hurricane Sandy, has become a long-term commitment to help homeowners rebuild.  Homes have been gutted, cleaned out, and treated for mold, but many are in a waiting period while they ensure that mold does not regrow.  There are many decisions that need to be made to rebuild, and as the number of volunteers has declined, we at World Cares Center have taken steps to make sure that our volunteer corps are replenished. We do this by supporting our volunteers - making sure their long-term well-being is protected through appropriate training, self-care support, and organized communication systems that make the most of their efforts. 

  Our volunteers are resilient, supportive, and intelligent, and they spread their spirit and humanity by showing up each and every week in the Rockaways, Staten Island, and Brooklyn.  We thank them for their time, their devotion, and their willingness to continue through an often stressful and difficult decision-making process to support community rebuilding.

  Who are these long-term volunteers? What makes them keep coming back?  How can we ensure that we nurture their needs?  Where can we find more of them to support our work?

We recently interviewed two of our most valuable long-term volunteers, Reggie from the Bronx, and Kevin from Manhattan.  Here’s what they told us about their volunteer experiences.

  WCC:  How did you first get involved as a volunteer with WCC?

Reggie: I started a week after Hurricane Sandy.  My aunt’s friend knew WCC founder Lisa Orloff and put me in touch with her. I grew up in the Bronx, but felt inclined to help anywhere in the City.

Kevin: I surfed in the Rockaways and started volunteering with another group right after Sandy to help that community.  Sometime after Thanksgiving, when that group’s work was done, I started volunteering with WCC.  I work every weekend in the Rockaways.

  WCC: What is your typical role on the volunteer team?

Reggie: My initial role was as a team lead for a muck out crew.  I now serve as an Incident Commander (director and manager of volunteer efforts in an emergency response).

Kevin: I do what needs to be done that day. It could be leading a team, doing briefings or home assessments, and getting the tools ready for the day’s work.  I have a background in construction.

  WCC: How do you contribute most to the team in terms of your skills and expertise?

Reggie:  I believe I contribute most because of my ability to organize and manage others under pressure and in chaotic situations.

Kevin: I provide another voice and some insight, providing another set of ears to bounce ideas off of.  Because I’ve worked with other organizations, I’ve been able to see what works over time, streamlining the volunteer effort.

  WCC: What changes have you seen in the volunteerism for the Sandy recovery effort as it moves into the long-term recovery phase?

Reggie:  Unfortunately, we have seen a decline in the number of volunteers offering assistance. I most definitely believe the long-term recovery phase is different. Earlier relief efforts made more of a psychological impact, letting homeowners know that they were not alone and could be helped. The mucking out was step one. These homes, when ready, need to be rebuilt - and they need to be rebuilt taking their proximity to the shore into consideration.

Kevin: In early November we had many more volunteers each day and on the weekends.  Since Thanksgiving, the number of volunteers has dropped.  There is a consistent core of volunteers who show up every week, but the overall number of volunteers, especially from other regions, has dropped off.

  WCC: How do you make sure that you take care of yourself?

Reggie:  For me, it's all about balance. I make sure that I rest to combat the work hours, and I do something with a different type of engagement to balance the psychological energy put forth.

Kevin: I just got back from a vacation that I planned long before Sandy. It was good to get away.  Part of my stress reduction happens as a result of just being friends with other volunteers.  We all try to see the lighter side of things and make each other laugh through a tough situation.  Everyone out there is so interesting to meet.

  WCC: What has long-term volunteerism given you? How has it changed your life and how have you changed the lives of others?

Reggie: Being committed long-term has somewhat embedded the volunteer life into me. It went from my "weekend gig" to part of my being. I think folks who know me and have seen my commitment realize they too need to give. "To whom much is given much is required."  

World Cares Center (WCC) has long partnered with faith-based organizations during times of disaster.  Because of their strong connections to the communities they serve, faith-based organizations offer help that is homegrown, personal, and highly effective.  They are a wonderful example of neighbors helping neighbors.  Through our long-term partnership with the New York Disaster Interfaith Services (NYDIS), we have secured locations for our Volunteer Centers and Tool Libraries to support muck outs in the Rockaways and Staten Island.  It is one of many faith-based partnerships we have developed post-Sandy.

  Just as dynamic and helpful are the corporate partnerships we coordinate.  In the months since Hurricane Sandy hit, corporations have continued to look for meaningful ways to mobilize their employees to give back to their community.  Getting employees together for a unified community volunteer project allows them to work on team building while interacting with coworkers and members of their company’s larger community.  It’s corporate giving at its best! WCC provides comprehensive training for corporate volunteers in group trainings that are tailored to their needs.  Once trained, these teams are ready to work together to help homeowners get back in their homes.

  A stellar example of this is a group of corporate volunteers from Cardinal Health who have conducted muck outs and mold suppression on homes in the Rockaways.  Starting in December 2012, the group has provided ongoing volunteer cleanup services.  They continue to work together and have made a difference to grateful homeowners eagerly wanting to get back into their homes.    

Governor Cuomo recently announced the New York State Disaster Homeownership Repair and Rebuilding Fund to supplement FEMA housing assistance grants.  Through the Disaster Homeownership Repair and Rebuilding Fund, homeowners can qualify to receive an extra $10,000.  The grants do not have to be repaid.  Residents who live in the five boroughs of New York City or the counties of Westchester, Rockland, Nassau, and Suffolk qualify.  Other qualifications include:

  ·      You have to rebuild or invest in major repairs to your primary residence due to damage from Hurricane Sandy

·      You already qualify for a FEMA housing assistance grant

·      Your FEMA grant must not cover the full cost of the damages to your home

·      This additional funding must not duplicate assistance you already receive from government agencies or your personal insurance.

  For more information or to apply for this fund, call: (855) NYS-SANDY – 855-697-7263. 

As the long term recovery phase kicks in, homeowners across the Tri-State are experiencing the ongoing struggles associated with post-Sandy clean up and rebuilding.  World Cares Center is hunkering down for the long term volunteerism that will go on in areas like the Rockaways and Staten Island.  Inevitably, questions come up:  How do we recruit and maintain volunteerism to help homeowners do the tough work ahead?  How do we prepare everyday citizens for future disasters yet to come?  Lisa Orloff, Founder and Executive Director of World Cares Center sat down with Kristen Shaughnessy of NY1 to discuss how communities build resiliency to handle long term rebuilding and what volunteerism really means in an uncertain future.  View the video here: http://bit.ly/XOg4q7. 

Lisa’s message in a nutshell:

·       Everyone has a role in disaster response and when communities get involved in their own rebuilding, they become more resilient and better able to handle crisis in the future

·       Citizen volunteers need to be integrated effectively to make a dent in disaster response needs

·       Training is crucial, and available through organizations such as World Cares Center.  Go to our website for online training briefings and volunteer opportunities: www.worldcares.org.

·       World Cares Center can help emergency managers and local leaders better integrate spontaneous volunteers to make their relief efforts most effective.

We recently received some good advice about the importance of winterizing homes, from the New York Mortgage Coalition (NYMC), a nonprofit organization devoted to helping renters prepare for homeownership.  As the cold weather takes hold, it’s crucial that homeowners safeguard against frozen pipes by draining them of water.  This is one part of a process known as winterizing.  Homeowners need to winterize their homes by shutting off the heat, disconnecting the radiators and draining out any water, running plumbing fixtures dry to remove water in the lines, and putting anti-freeze in all the sinks, tubs, and toilet traps.  Here’s a step-by-step guide on winterizing: http://bit.ly/YgGsZc. 

As World Cares Center continues its work to muck out homes, prep work for the winter months becomes an important additional concern for homeowners not currently living in their homes since Sandy.  Draining pipes is a job best handled by a qualified plumber, ideally someone familiar with your plumbing system.  It involves a three-step process:

·         Shutting down the main water supply line

·         Draining all of the water from the heating and plumbing systems, and

·         Draining all excess water from the boiler and hot water units.

For a good video on this process, go to: http://bit.ly/UzaVMs.