Disaster Response Leader Juggles High School and Red Cross

Written by Christina Ward, Staff Writer, Redcross.org

Volunteer Tyrell Lashley is the youngest person to be named vice chairman of disaster services at the National Capital Chapter in Washington, D.C.

March 20, 2002 — Tyrell Lashley leads a double life.

Many people know him as a gifted high school student — a sophomore at Washington, D.C.'s Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Lashley is in the vocal department at the competitive public school, where students must show extraordinary artistic talent to gain entrance. A member of the school's award-winning show choir, he is enrolled in intensive voice and theater courses in addition to a full academic curriculum.

"Our choir performed four shows last week. We are traveling to Connecticut soon for a performance — and if we raise the money, we are going to Barbados this summer!" Lashley said, smiling.

Monday through Friday, Lashley attends school from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., commuting by subway from nearby Fairfax County, Va., where he lives with his mother. Several days a week, he stays after school an additional two hours for show choir rehearsals.

Meanwhile, in his "other life," the 15-year-old holds an important leadership position at the National Capital Chapter of the American Red Cross in Washington, D.C. As vice chairman of disaster services, he plays a key role in the chapter's active disaster response efforts. Duties range from directly assisting with relief during an emergency, to helping the chapter prepare for future disasters, to filling in during staffing shortages.

For example, "I've been on call every night, 5 p.m. to 9 a.m., since February," Lashley said, holding up a cell phone and pager. On a temporary basis (until another volunteer can be trained for the job), Lashley is in charge of dispatching Disaster Action Team (DAT) members in the event of a local overnight emergency. It's a critical part of disaster response: If a house fire, flash flood or other disaster occurs after business hours in Washington, D.C., or Fairfax County, Va. (the two areas served by the chapter), Lashley receives a call. He in turn notifies the trained disaster responders who are on call that particular night. The DAT volunteers then rush to the scene to provide Red Cross relief as needed — emergency shelter, food, clothing, counseling or financial aid.

Lashley is by far the youngest member of the chapter's disaster leadership team. His supervisors and colleagues within the Red Cross are consistently impressed with his knowledge and maturity.

"For his age, Tyrell is one of the most focused and dedicated people I know," said Patti Eberhart, manager of disaster operations at the National Capital Chapter. "Most of the time, we don't have to tell him what to do — he takes initiative to do many things in the office. He will come in and work when he is off of school, as well as on the weekends."

She added that despite his busy schedule, Lashley has found the time to take disaster relief training courses and study Red Cross response. "He knows more about the American Red Cross than many of our DAT members do! Many times, I forget he is so young because of his knowledge and experience."

Lashley at his desk in the disaster services department of the National Capital Chapter. The young man hopes to pursue a career in emergency management someday.

In fact, Lashley has more Red Cross experience than many of the adult volunteers he works with. His Red Cross career began three years ago — when he was 12 years old and joined the youth services team at the National Capital Chapter. Within months, he became interested in disaster operations. Red Cross youth volunteers do not typically respond to disasters, so he went directly to the director of emergency services and asked how he could get involved.

"I was told that I was too young," Lashley recalled.

Undeterred, he devoted himself to overcoming the age barrier. During the next three years — both in Washington D.C. and in Philadelphia, where he lived with his older sister for a year — Lashley studied disaster response, researching ways young volunteers could participate. As a volunteer at the Philadelphia Red Cross chapter, he was eventually permitted to become a special "Youth in Emergency Services" volunteer, assisting occasionally with Red Cross relief at house fires and other area emergencies.

He returned to the D.C. area in the summer of 2001, ready to support emergency response efforts in the nation's capital. Little did he know what immense disaster would soon befall not only Washington, but the entire country. His knowledge and experience would be needed in ways he never expected.

"On the morning of September 11, I was in school," Lashley said. "They brought us all to the auditorium and told us what was happening. Parents arrived to pick up students, but my mom couldn't come — the roads were closed into the city from Virginia." Lashley tried to catch a bus or get on the subway, but public transportation had been almost completely shut down. So he began to walk to the National Capital chapter offices in downtown Washington. Throughout the city, workers poured out of offices as building after building was evacuated for the day. "The Red Cross was the only safe haven I could think of — I knew there would be plenty of people there."

Sure enough, when he arrived the chapter was bustling, full of Red Cross staff and volunteers who were mobilizing to respond to the plane crash at the Pentagon — and to any other terrorist act that might occur in the coming hours. Although he was the only non-adult present, Lashley joined in, offering to answer phones as staff leadership prepared to leave for the disaster site. He remained at the chapter and served as a "home base" contact for relief teams.

After that day, Lashley became a key part of the chapter's disaster team. He visited the Pentagon disaster site, helping with supply delivery to the Red Cross relief area. When the anthrax tragedies struck Washington, D.C., in October, Lashley was asked to be a staffing officer, assigning team members to the various duties needed on the response. He helped out at local hospitals, where Red Cross teams were on hand to assist family members of anthrax victims.

At the next disaster management committee meeting, Lashley applied to be vice chairman, competing against adult applicants. His extensive training, dedication and hard work paid off: He was selected for the position.

"I have a passion for emergency management," he said. "I plan to study it in college — I'll major in emergency management and minor or double major in musical theater." He hopes to eventually pursue a career in emergency management, either with the Red Cross or a government agency like FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency).

Lashley also plans to continue volunteering as long as he can. "I love it," he said. "My mother tells me, 'You're always at the Red Cross!' But I tell her I'm in a responsible position now … I have to be here to do my job." His mother is his biggest supporter, he adds. "She is the main reason I have accomplished anything. I owe it to her." As long as he continues to keep his grades up, his mother approves of his "second life."

Despite the long hours and the challenges of balancing school with volunteering, Lashley recommends the Red Cross to all young people.

"You learn so much: business skills, people skills, public speaking skills," he said. "The teamwork is amazing — it's a great feeling to be part of it. Every time I go to a disaster scene, and see all the Red Cross volunteers helping, I remember why I do this."

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