In as little as ten minutes, frostbite begins to set in on any bit of exposed skin when temperatures reach negative 35 degrees Fahrenheit. In the northern portion of Alaska, seeing a negative 35-degree day (or even colder) is not uncommon. But when jack frost has his icy grips on the area for weeks on end, the last thing most want to do is to get out of bed, let alone respond to a disaster.
For Red Cross volunteers Tammy and Ray Miller, they respond like the beloved Disney character Elsa, the ‘cold never bothered them anyway.’ These two Fairbanks Disaster Action Team members say that responding in subzero temperatures is just part of the job when it comes to serving others.
“Living in Alaska for so long makes you more equipped to deal with these extremes,” says Ray Miller, who has volunteered for the Red Cross since 2013.
Tammy and Ray say they’ve picked up some tips and tricks when working under these extreme conditions.
“Something you may not think about is when you are going to fill out casework papers and your pen doesn’t write because it is usually in your pocket, and now it’s frozen. So, we always make sure to have a pencil when we’re responding in the winter,” says Tammy Miller.
In Alaska, home fires increase during the winter months due to limited options to provide heat to many homes. Residents rely on propane heaters, electric space heaters, and even pellet stoves to keep their homes habitable. Unfortunately, many of these devices can increase the risk of a home fire if not used properly.
In December 2022, Tammy and Ray responded to a large fire in Fairbanks. A local laundromat sent flames sky high, and while there were no residents, the fire department called in the Red Cross to support.
“I always enjoy it when we get to canteen for the firefighter. They are always grateful, and we like to help them because we know they are working so hard. It’s physically demanding, so we want to get them some snacks and keep them warm and hydrated,” said Tammy Miller.
During this particular response, temperatures dipped to exactly negative 35. Tammy and Ray prepared the Cambro containers with coffee and hot water for tea and hot chocolate. They set up a card table outside the Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) and set out snacks and cold beverages.
“After about an hour or so, we went out to check on the snack and drinks, and I looked down and saw the water was already solid ice and the Gatorade was beginning to freeze. That’s when you know it’s really cold,” said Ray Miller.
In addition to helping them develop a strong will to serve under harsh conditions, Tammy and Ray say the Red Cross changed their lives forever, bringing them together as a couple.
“We were at a DAT Bootcamp weekend in Anchorage for new volunteers. Ray and I were tasked to share the responsibility of teaching a sheltering class,’ said Tammy. ‘We worked well together, and after the class, he said, ‘Hey Tammy would you want to go get some coffee together,’ and that was in October and we got married in February.”
