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Evans Tours Storm-Ravaged Pennsylvania
Written by
Carrie Martin
, Special to RedCross.Org
Wednesday, September 22, 2004 — Wilkes-Barre, Pa.—After visiting Florida four times in the last month to meet with Red Cross volunteers, government officials and disaster victims, American Red Cross President and CEO Marty Evans toured disaster areas in Pennsylvania yesterday just days after Tropical Storm Ivan caused massive flooding throughout the state.
Evans drove to York, Pennsylvania from Red Cross headquarters in Washington, D.C., where she met with Jeffrey Varnes, executive director of the York County Red Cross, and boarded a private jet donated by York Building Company to travel to Wilkes-Barre.
Upon arrival in Wilkes-Barre, Evans greeted Red Cross Board of Governors member Bill Lewis, and toured several city streets affected by the flooding. While the rain water had receded, its affects were evident by mounds of trash on street corners—clothing, insulation and furniture sopping wet and damaged beyond repair.
Eighty-seven-year-old June Lehman talks with Marty Evans about the damage to her home. |
“It’s heart-breaking to see people’s possessions destroyed—and really underscores the importance of preparing for disasters,” said Evans, whose own neighborhood was flooded last year at this time when Hurricane Isabel wreaked havoc on the east coast. “An important part of preparedness is assessing the vulnerabilities of your own community and taking appropriate steps,” she continued.
Evans met with Wilkes-Barre resident Ed Hoffman, who had two feet of water come into his basement for the third time in the fifty years his family has owned its home.
“A lot of these young families here don’t know not to put stuff in the basement,” said Hoffman, who plans to seel the family house after this week’s flooding. “Our neighbor had a finished basement and had everything destroyed.”
Forty-seven out of the 67 counties in Pennsylvania have experienced some type of flood damage, according to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA). Gov. Edward G. Rendell announced today that President Bush approved federal assistance to 26 of those affected counties.
Evans then traveled to Harrisburg and met with PEMA Director Dave Sanko, who provided an overview of the state-wide relief operation and stressed the importance of a collaborative relationship with the Red Cross.
Already on the job in Pennsylvania, Red Cross volunteers have provided shelter for close to 2,000 people and served over 16,000 meals. Right now the Red Cross is focused on transitioning from sheltering to delivering food and water directly to damaged areas as families begin the clean up process at home.
Eighty-seven-year-old June Lehman remembered the flooding caused by Hurricane Agnes in 1972 and how the Red Cross visited her neighborhood every day for weeks with hot meals.
“The Red Cross is how we ate,” said Lehman, who thanked Evans for visiting Pennsylvania. “It’s nice to know someone cares.”
Officials Revisit Florida
On Monday, September 20, American Red Cross COO Alan McCurry joined Dept. of Homeland Secretary Tom Ridge, Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown, and Florida Congressman Jeff Miller for a helicopter tour of the devastation in Pensacola, Fl.
Red Cross COO Alan McCurry (in red) looks on while Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge talks to the media in Florida on Monday. |
The group flew over areas that were heavily damaged last week by Hurricane Ivan, including a part of the Escambia Bridge on I-10 that was washed away during the storm. They also visited a group of volunteer emergency medical professionals working at the West Florida Regional Medical Center, and met with area residents who described in detail the impact of the storm on their lives.
On Tuesday McCurry traveled to Alabama to tour Red Cross staging facilities and offer his support to volunteers in that state.
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