"Challenging." "Rewarding." "Humbling." These are words three OJJDP staff members use to describe their experience working with victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Gwen Dilworth, Tom Murphy, and Scott Pestridge were among the many U.S. Department of Justice and other federal employees who volunteered to go on detail to the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) in support of the federal government's hurricane relief efforts. After receiving training at the FEMA training center in Orlando, FL, Gwen and Scott were sent to a disaster recovery center in New Iberia, LA, while Tom was located at a center in Abbeville, LA.
Serving as applicant service specialists, Gwen and Scott were part of a team that included FEMA personnel and representatives from other federal agencies, including the National Weather Service, the General Services Administration, and the Office of Personnel Management. They guided hurricane victims through the disaster assistance system, helped them draft letters of need, and facilitated their requests for assistance. Working 12-13 hours a day, 7 days a week, their team served about 4,000 people during their 30 days at the center. Scott described their role as "putting a face on the federal government" by using their skills and knowledge to find solutions and responses to the victims' needs.
In Abbeville, Tom was part of a team that included members from FEMA, the Internal Revenue Service, NASA, the Transportation Security Administration, and the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and State. Noting that Vermilion Parish (where Abbeville is located) was one of the areas hit hard by the storm surge and winds from Hurricane Rita, Tom marveled at the resiliency of the area residents, who came from diverse cultures and backgrounds but shared the same determination to overcome adversity.
All three recalled heartbreaking stories of victims whose lives were devastated by the storm. In discussing their experience, they spoke with respect and compassion for the victims, noting the many kindnesses and appreciation they received from those they were trying to help. Gwen perhaps summed it up best when she said that the people she met "would live in my heart and my mind forever."
Gwen, Scott, and Tom are all program managers at OJJDP, Gwen in the Demonstration Programs Division, Scott and Tom in the State Relations and Assistance Division.
Photos
The first photo shows Tom Murphy (top row, third from left) and the other members of the disaster relief team in Abbeville, LA. The other photos are images from Vermilion Parish, LA.
|
