By Charles Hunter
American Red Cross

"I'm ready."

That's the text from American Red Cross volunteer Martha Roberts to her supervisors about her willingness to go to Louisiana to help those affected by Hurricane Ida.

"Sheltering is my thing," said Martha, who is among the shelter workers essential in helping to protect, comfort, feed and provide a safe place to stay for individuals during a disaster.

Living in Branson, Missouri, Martha made her decision to join the Red Cross after the 2011 Joplin Tornado that struck just 100 miles northwest of her hometown. After she joined her local chapter and received training, Martha embarked on a seven-year history of service of helping those in a disaster.

The Red Cross dispatched Martha to Baton Rouge prior to the storm arriving. She was teamed with other volunteers to go to a shelter being set up in Pearl River, north of New Orleans on the other side of Lake Pontchartrain. The shelter was in a local school and initially 57 people made their way to the shelter.

Most of the area was without power due to hurricane winds and a tornado that went through the area. Cell phone towers were also down in the area so residents did not have a way to communicate with family for five days. Another 65 to 70 individuals arrived at the shelter because their homes were flooded due to canals overflowing and flooding adjacent neighborhoods.

Martha said much of her time was spent sitting in a chair next to people on their cots listening to their concerns and experiences.

"I just try to love on everybody,” she said. “Some were in wheelchairs that needed personal assistance. I made sure persons with diabetes received the food that they needed. One woman was scared because a tree went through the roof of her home, she had nowhere to go.”

As the relief efforts continued, Martha was assigned to a shelter in Napoleonville. Next, it was a shelter in Belle Chasse. Then following two nights in New Orleans, the next shelter was for five days in Morgan City.

This is a location that is just west of Houma, one of hardest hit towns. Many of the individuals coming to the shelter lost everything.

"We just tried to help them with anything they needed including food, shoes, socks and even toys for the children. You wish you were the richest person in the world so you could help every one of them," Martha said.

Martha draws on her experiences when it comes to helping those in need.

"I know what it is like to lose everything. When I was 14 and living in Oklahoma, our family home burned down. Our extended Choctaw family guaranteed we had a home. That's why I love to do what I do now," she said.

Martha has already received a call from the Red Cross to see if she can deploy again.

To which she replied, "I'm ready."