It is the expertise in the two phenomena of disaster and war that made Ed Bush the likeliest candidate for Regional Disaster Officer (RDO), chosen to lead the largest team in The American Red Cross of Louisiana. His team will include Disaster Program Specialists, Disaster Program Managers, a team of 16 Disaster Cycle Services (DCS) employees and a large number volunteers in Preparedness, Response and Recovery. He will be responsible for disaster response in all 64 parishes. “I am honored to be selected as the RDO and it is a privilege to lead this team of dedicated men and women,” he stated.

Among his goals as RDO for the Red Cross are providing stability, direction, guidance, oversight, vision and mentorship to the DCS team; improving connectivity, planning and collaboration at the Regional Leadership Team (RLT) level and fostering Chapter connection points with other lines of service; strengthening and growing our community presence and footprint; and instilling in our national team the confidence of Louisiana’s disaster response capabilities.

Of the 15 disasters in which Ed was involved, he said Hurricane Katrina was the worst. He saw death and damage, displacement and “unbelievably horrible” conditions. “Katrina stories are the only ones that will make me cry, Katrina was just so heart-wrenching”, he said. The reason for his tears isn’t what you would normally expect. He said, “The stories that make me cry are the stories that I was part of some amazing human moment showing tremendous love and outpouring of support and helping each other. There were 30,000 people without running water and bathrooms or anything and people kept coming forward and saying, ‘How can I help, how can I help’”.

What may be quite an undertaking for others is just something that comes natural for Ed. Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) Director Kara Murphy commented on the most admirable qualities of his leadership. “Ed is someone many employees enjoy working with. He is willing to do what it takes to help the team succeed and meet goals.”

That positive attitude early on led to success in the military as he ended a 30-year career at the rank of Colonel in the U.S. Army. Over the course of his career, Bush was deployed to Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2010, he was part of a team that oversaw all the airfields in that area of operation.

His path in life didn’t begin with the military. As a freshman he was enrolled in a small seminary in Minnesota where he was studying to become a priest. He said, “It was a great experience, but I knew I wanted to be a dad and a husband so I transferred to Viterbo College.” Viterbo is a small Catholic university in La Crosse, Wisconsin whose mission is “preparing students for ethical leadership and faithful service rooted in the values of human dignity and respect for the world.” Viterbo University prepared him well for his role at the Red Cross.

Bush noted the ever-increasing role of climate change on the environment and its impact on disasters. “It means there’s no rest for the weary. I think it means in a disaster responder’s world that disasters come more frequently with more intensity. Terrebonne Parish and those closest to the Gulf of Mexico are going to be those first hit and the hardest hit, and we know who the economically challenged members of those communities are what their needs are. We will keep our eyes on those communities that are at greater risk and increase the level of preparedness and the level of classes and training that we do with them to try to make them stronger,” he said.

As for his leadership in the new position, he has this philosophy, “When someone has a good leader, they feel confident, comfortable and safe. That is my goal - that my team knows that they are getting good direction, an increased awareness of how they fit in as part of the team and the impact of what they’re doing.”

Ed also mentioned the importance of working with inspired, engaged volunteers, who make up ninety percent of our workforce, and are the “backbone of the organization.” The role that volunteers play in our day-to-day functions is vital to helping Louisianans where they need it most.

“My favorite role in the 55 years that I have been alive, is being a Dad. The military life can be hard on families, and I am very thankful that our family of five has remained intact and that I am still married to the woman I fell in love with 31 years ago,” Bush said. He and his wife Susan have three children: Meghan (26), Emma (24), and Matthew (21).

In his spare time, Ed exercises daily, “healthy mind, healthy body,” walks with his wife Susan each morning, and plays piano and guitar. Perhaps his most enjoyable hobby is painting. Inspired by Monet and Van Gogh, he loves to depict nature in his artwork. He is also a fan of reading and a big science fiction lover.