By Jill Feldon

A request from a family friend changed Jerome Thierry’s life.

He first learned about the American Red Cross in 1977 when he was in junior high and helped the organization make Easter baskets for children with disabilities. Later, as a high school student in Compton, outside of Los Angeles, Jerome was asked by a family friend if he could assist at a Red Cross shelter. His family friend was a Red Cross volunteer and needed someone to entertain children who were temporarily housed at the shelter following a refinery fire.

“It sounded like fun,” he says, “so I played with the kids and kept them occupied.”

Then he was tasked with running some information to the city of Torrence’s Emergency Operations Center, the control room for the staff overseeing the disaster assessment, services, and recovery efforts. “I saw police officers, fire fighters, the sheriff, deputies – all these important people in the control room and I was like, ‘Wow! I could be somebody!’”

Jerome has been involved with the American Red Cross ever since.

Currently Jerome serves as a volunteer supervisor in Mass Care Sheltering Services, which means that he oversees volunteer teams that provide food, shelter and comfort for families and individuals affected by major disasters such as fires, hurricanes and tornadoes. He has been “deployed,” or sent to more than 20 disasters for two to three weeks at a time over his 47 years with the Red Cross.

“I eat, drink and sleep Red Cross,” he says. “It’s just what I do.” His extensive volunteer work is in addition to his paid work with a restaurant chain.

What has kept Jerome going with the Red Cross all these years is what he calls the “a-ha” moments that come with taking care of people. “No matter how stressful or demanding a situation is, I will come across someone who reminds me of why I do this.”

For example, there was the older woman whom Jerome met while she was sitting in an ambulance trying to get warm after her house fire. With another Red Cross volunteer, they got her transportation and a place to stay as well as meals and the personal care products she needed. Later, her nephew praised Jerome and his colleague, saying how much he appreciated what had been done for his aunt. “It made us feel so good. I still remember that,” Jerome says.

“And I really enjoy the people I work with – either local Red Cross volunteers or people from across the country who are deployed. These are people I would probably never meet if it wasn’t for the Red Cross. And they are so fun.”

His advice for volunteers who are new to Red Cross Disaster Services is simple:

• Be open-minded.
• Be strong because you will see some strange things.
• Be flexible because conditions and assignments change rapidly.
• Focus on the people being served because that’s where you’ll find the a-ha moments.
• And be prepared to run into great team members who will become great friends.
   

“I really encourage people to give volunteering for the Red Cross a shot,” he says. “As a supervisor, I will give you the best experience I possibly can.” For more information about volunteering with the Red Cross, visit How To Volunteer | American Red Cross