Yesterday I turned in the last of my Red Cross supplies.
Kristi and I volunteered for the American Red Cross for the past six years. Each month we would sign up for seven or eight twelve hour shifts to respond to any fire in Contra Costa County. We were the only "couple" that did DAT calls. It made it quite handy since I was trained as a Lead and Kristi as a Technician.
Most of the fires we responded to were homes where renters lived, or homeowners without insurance, often that had to be determined after we arrived. Here Kristi looks happy because I wanted her photo and I thought she looked cute. However, the scene was always difficult to immediately step into a family's tragedy. It was sort of like being a Bishop and being able to give a little comfort and supply some immediate needs of food, clothing and housing.
Kristi also worked in the Family Service office and I was the Red Cross Liaison to the city of Clayton.
This is me at the Contra Costa Emergency Center manning a desk during an exercise.
We will miss our friends at the Red Cross. They put in many many hours and do a great work. There are about 100 active volunteers in our county and only one full-time paid employee and I don't believe she makes very much. It is a nice feeling to think you make a difference.
