Ice storm taxes volunteers

January 23, 2007 12:26 am

— By Nammi Bhagvandoss
nbhagvandoss@joplinglobe.com
Representatives of the American Red Cross of Southwest Missouri and the Salvation Army of Joplin say the ice storm has been costly, but it’s their human resources that have been most exhausted.
Volunteers are “tired,” said Don Buffalow, the local Red Cross’ preparedness and response director, “but they’re proud of what they’re doing.”
Buffalow said the Red Cross is in need of more volunteers.
Volunteers are needed daily for such things as fires at family homes or emergencies involving military families. That’s compounded by a situation in which thousands are without heat and power, and people who are displaced need shelter and meals.
“My biggest exhausting situation was people,” Buffalow said about the ice storm.
The Southwest Missouri Chapter of the Red Cross serves Barton, Jasper and Newton counties, and it has about 45 volunteers, many of whom have regular jobs, Buffalow said. About 12 of these volunteers helped during the ice storm. Volunteers from Parsons, Kan., and Cape Girardeau also came to help with handling the local disaster, answering telephone calls, staffing shelters, and coordinating people, vehicles, food and materials.
While the biggest drain has been on volunteers, Buffalow said there have been financial expenses as well, because the agency had to rent vehicles for hauling equipment and delivering meals. The Red Cross has also had to buy gasoline and products for meals, such as plastic ware, bowls, coffee and juice.
Like the Red Cross, the Salvation Army of Joplin said the human cost is the highest so far.
“It certainly has taken its toll mostly in human resources,” said Salvation Army Capt. Jason Poff. The two agencies have worked together to provide meals to those in some shelters.
As of Monday afternoon, the Salvation Army had served 3,574 meals since Jan. 13, Poff said.
In addition to the regular Salvation Army staff, 10 to 12 volunteers have been helping since the ice storm, Poff said. Volunteers help with cooking, cleaning, preparation work and delivering.
Poff said the Salvation Army has received a lot of extra food from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, such as cheese, ground beef, chicken, turkey, fruit and vegetables.
“We tap out farther than Joplin,” he said.
A mobile feeding station from Cape Girardeau was to be brought in to help feed people through at least Wednesday in Newton and McDonald counties, Poff said.
“We’ve had generous donations from people in town,” Poff said. “We’ve had generous donations of food, paper products, cash donations to offset costs as well.”

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