Bay St. Louis, Mississippi

[BigV]

I am going to Bay St. Louis, MS, to help people in the wake of Hurricaine Katrina.

Our church, University Presbyterian Church, is coordinating volunteer work teams of 10-15 people to go there for one week missions. We will be serving "shoulder-to-shoulder" with the Presbyery of Mississippi Disaster Committee and Steve Bryant, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Vicksburg, MS.

"Team members will identify specific needs in the area and do what they can to meet those needs. Viable ministry may range from helping sort through debris, to providing a shoulder to cry on, to setting up a local cooperative for clearing debris, to identifying new strategies for local medical, educational, or business activity, to..."

I had my physical exam today, and my vaccinations. I have submitted my application, cleared my time off from work, and checked with SWMBO at home (not neccessarily in that order, of course). I am waiting for a green light. Departures are on Saturday, depending on flight schedules. Team members are expected to bring sleeping gear, all personal items, sturdy work boots and heavy duty gloves, etc. Team goal is to consume NO local resources, with the exception of minimal water and power usage. I am ready. Not packed, exactly, but ready.

I have more time than money, and I am aching to DO something.

[plthijinx]

outstanding BigV! that is awesome dude!
just be careful in all the heat. DO drink your fluids!

[busterb]

Great BV and if you by a chance to stop by Bay Springs, MS. I might cook something.

[BigV]

*checking the map*...

[BigV]

busterb, I would gladly spend the week with you, helping in any way that I can. I will bring it up when I meet with the team. I am an indian on this trip, though, not a chief. I may not get to do what I want. But really, it's not about what I want anyway.

I will take a rain check on some home cooking, though, if you don't mind.

[Griff]

Originally Posted by BigV

I have more time than money, and I am aching to DO something.

You are the man!

[busterb]

Bay St. Louis and I are about 100 mile a part, but a place to crash on the way, or to take a break. BigV. I've not forgot your offer of help. Pass it around. Take care! bb

[wolf]

Having just packed for such an expedition I have a few hints on things to take ...

Some type of premoistened wipey thing. Baby wipes are good, especially if you can find them in the travel pack size. The diaper bag size boxes are far to large to be practical, and don't fit in the pockets of a pair of BDU pants. I have spent a lot of time recently looking at the labelling on these antibacterial wipe things. A lot of them very clearly state "for hands and face only." I assume this to mean that they aren't intended for use on the more sensitive areas of the body. For this reason I bought the ones for diaper changings.

BDU pants are the way to go, incidentally. Tons of pockets, durable, and comfortable. And they come in an amazing variety of colors. Go for neutrals like navy and black.

Waterless hand wash is an essential.

Flashlights ... pick one(s) that are small, light, and durable. Try getting ones with an easily replaceable battery. I happen to prefer AA, since that's also the size that fits my digital camera. Nothing sucks more than a perfectly good flashlight with dead batteries. If you get Maglites they usually have a spare bulb under the cap. I purchased and packed with the idea that everything I took should be considered a disposable, so I went out and got a new LED flashlight that takes AAs for around $10.

I also took a booklight, just in case I had some downtime at night. Reading under the covers with a flashlight was really cool as a kid, but it's a pain in the ass sometimes. Also, if you end up having to fill out paperwork, it's tough to balance a clipboard, flashlight and pen all at the same time.

You don't necessarily need these ... but I got a batch of glowsticks, both 12 hour and 1 hr varities.

Speaking of batteries, if you can get a spare battery for your cellphone, all the better.

If there aren't sufficient cell towers, you'll also want to have a prepaid phone card.

Journal - you never know when you're going to want to jot something down for posterity and later Cellar posting. In fact, start your journal now, write about your current impressions, concerns, fears, and hopes for your mission.

A book you don't mind abandoning somewhere.

DO NOT be wearing those "heavy work boots" for the first time. Make sure that they are broken in. One of the most frequent injuries treated at disaster sites are blisters!!

Even if you aren't an EMT or First Aid provider, get a small personal first aid kit. Bandaids and Corn Pads are your friends.

Disposable gloves really do have 1001 uses.

Take more socks than you think you'll actually need.

Toiletries. Travel size stuff is GREAT for this ... although you'll be on the ground for a while. I bought the travel container for my hippie soap (discussed in the tea tree oil thread) for when I went camping this summer ... since it's able to be used as both a shampoo and body soap it really helped as far as reducing the bulk of what I was carrying).

Travel alarm clock.

Watch that's cheap enough that you don't care if you lose or break it.

Any medications that you need to take daily. Take extra. Make sure that at least one set of the pills is stored separately in a watertight container.

Aspirin (or motrin or tylenol), vitamins, antacid, antidiarrheal, allergy meds, cough drops.

Picture of the familyV.

And a towel. Always know where your towel is.

I might think of other stuff later.

Oh, and the most important thing to remember when you're going to take care of others is TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF FIRST.

Even when you are doing good for other folks, helping them, it's stressful! Make sure that you get some time for YOU every day. Exercise when you can, and make sure you talk to other folks about your impressions and feelings. You may end up seeing stuff that you're not supposed to, or not accustomed to. Trust me, some of it's rough even for people who do this kind of thing every day. I know that somewhere around here I have a stress management for disaster workers handout ... I'll post that later tonight.

[BigV]

Thank you so much wolf!

That is very, very valuable advice. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience in such a practical way. That is right up my alley. I have camped for years, I have done service projects at various camps, I have done household repairs on my homes of my own and others, I had first aid experience in the classroom and in the field, but I don't have any "disaster relief" experience. I want to render help more than receive help, but I know my limitations.

I don't know if/when I'll be called, but I have a regularly scheduled scouting camping trip this weekend, and I'll pack tomorrow night. I expect I can take my regular kit plus the disaster relief add-ons with little difficulty.

I like the journal idea. I guess this thread is the beginning of that process. In no particular order, in addition to all the above...

Chargers for phone and camera.
Headlamp
Vitamin I (ibuprophen)
Heavy duty work gloves
Hardhat (work provides one)
Safety glasses
"camp shoes" ie. tennis shoes
nalgene water bottles
water purifier that works with bottles
writing materials
shorts
sunscreen
...

brain has run dry for now. Bedtime for me. More tomorrow.

[wolf]

OOh ... Shower Shoes. Either flip flops or water socks.

Take several extra pens. It is inevitable that you will take at least one that is about to run out of ink.

Rather than direct linking to the stress management article (honestly, since right now I'm starting to recognize I need to go to sleep), go here:
Montgomery County CISM and click on the "Stress Eduction" link. The second batch of links relates to disaster related stress.

this might be a direct link to the education page

[wolf]

And bug spray. The more DEET, the better. It may damage some plastics, but you'll appreciate the long lasting killing strength. Deep Woods Off for Sportsmen. (regular Deep Woods Off has too low of a concentration, only about 38% or so. Get the GOOD stuff)

If you have room in your suitcase, and you want to be the best friend of any of the ladies on the journey ... take some feminine convenience products with you. Somebody's going to end up needing them. You could end up nominated for Sainthood because of that.

[wolf]

This is the "official" packing list that our team has on the member's only portion of the website. I haven't edited it to remove stuff we've already discussed.


Deployment Items

Think compact and small in packing:

Keep it to 2 duffels
One for your clothes/personal items
The other for everything else
Bring what you own or can borrow
You are not required to buy lots of items
Peruse list to see what you may want to augment
Many of these items are core to a personal emergency/disaster kit

Not all items need to be brought by everyone:

** items can be shared among the deployment team
Coordinate with the other team members

Clothing: (Suggestions are for minimum 6 days without washing clothes)

Sturdy shoes or boots
Bring an extra set
Make sure they are comfortable and broken in
Closed toe/low heel
Hard sole works best
Several pairs of socks
Hiking type socks are a good choice
Wear one, 5 extra?
Pants
Jeans
Work
BDU style pants
Wear one, 2 extra?
Undergarments
Your preference
Consider thermals in colder seasons
Wear one, 5 extra?
Belt
Belt pack or backpack
Shirts
Please try to wear team (or primary service organization) shirts
Considering layering options
Wear one, 5 extra?
Sweatshirt or fleece vest
Jacket or Windbreaker
Don’t bring your designer stuff
Hat
Inclement weather
Waterproof boots
Snow boots in winter
Consider “Waders” if going to a flood zone
Umbrella
Rain slicker, poncho or rain suit
Hand wash clothes detergent (e.g. Woolite)
Miscellaneous
Something to sleep in (sweats, scrubs, T-shirt/shorts)
Something to wear to showers (same items?)
Shower sandals

Sleep:

Sleeping Bag
Blanket/Sheets (Recommended in case it is too warm or cold)
Pillow (Can bring pillow case and use spare clothes)
Waterproof ground pad (inflatable for comfort?)
Ear plugs (highly recommended)

Food Stuffs:

Water (Mandatory)
1 gallon per day for 3 days
More in hotter seasons/high humidity
More in operations with primitive conditions (harder work)
Fresh tap water (that you bring) in appropriate container is fine
Consider smaller bottles or canteen to fill from main supply
Food (Must bring, Ideas follow)
High energy such as peanut butter, crackers, granola bars, trail mix
Comfort food, hard candy, candy bars, cookies, gum
(Take care with melting chocolate)
Cereal and UHT (box) milk
Freeze dried or MRE (military) meals
Utensils
Mess Kit (or reusable plastic cup, bowel, plate, flatware)
Manual can opener (pocket sized or on multifunction knife)
Knife
**Cooking supplies (if you are so inclined and facilities are real limited)
Charcoal, sterno, camp stove
Spices, cooking oil

Medical Stuff:
**First Aid Kit (Basic items for personal or team use)
Bandaids-large and small
Tape and sterile dressings
Gauze
Super glue
Triple antibiotic ointment
Butterflys/steristrips
Saline for irrigation (eye bottle works well)
Tweezers, small scissors
Prescription Medications
Keep with you at all times
Keep a listing of your medications in a separate spot
Include prescribed non-prescription meds (e.g. aspirin)
**Non-prescription Medications
Ibuprofen (Advil) or Naproxen (Alleve)-Pain, fever, inflammation
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)-Antihistamine, sleep
Meclizine (Dramamine II)-Motion sickness and nausea
Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)-Decongestant
Antacid (Maalox)-liquid and /or tablets
Immodium-Diarrhea
Hydrocortisone ointment-Rashes/irritations
Insect Repellant-The Higher the DEET, the longer and more effective
Sunscreen 30+
Sunblock lip balm (Can be used on lips, nose, and ears)
Eyes:
Spare glasses
Sunglasses on neck strap
Contact lens, spares and solutions, etc.

Communications:

Cell phone
Spare batteries
AC and 12 volt charging cords
**Radio (AM/FM/NOAA weather)-For news/weather info)
Spare batteries
**FRS/GMRS radios
Chargers
Spare Batteries
**Pocket (Casio style) TV
**Extension cords with multiple plug ins
Pay phones
Cash and change for pay phones
Calling Cards
Your phone/address book

Sanitation/Hygiene:

Pre moistened toilets
Alcohol based hand sanitizer (Purell)
Plastic Bags
Plastic garbage bags
Sealable, (Zip Lock)-Quart, 1 and 2 gallon sizes
Paper towels, nose tissues, toilet paper
Personal Hygiene
Liquid soap, shampoo
Deodorant
Comb/Brush
Travel size hair dryer
Toothpaste and brush
Dental floss
Feminine supplies
**Spray disinfectant
**Bleach
Disinfectant
Water purification (8 drops per gallon)
Towels and washcloths (2 each?)
Shower sandals

Safety Items:

Flashlight
Might consider pocket sized and larger
Spare batteries
**Small Hand Tools
Pliers, screwdrivers, knife, duct tape, trauma shears
**Alternate lighting
Candles, matches
Lantern
Cyalume sticks
Work gloves
Eye shields/protectors
Respirator/face masks
Peppermint drops/oil or similar to put on mask
**Hard hats
Second set of ear plugs (first set is for sleep, trust me)

Administrative Items: (## Coordinate these needs with coordinating team)

##Maps of Area (Can download from Mapquest or Yahoomaps)
##Handouts, starter supply
##Any forms required for deployment
Especially recording of expenses
##Writing materials
Tablet and drawing paper (or newsprint)
Pencils/pens
Crayons/markers (permanent and dry erase)
Masking or scotch tape (or similar)
##Deployment handbook and plan
##Larger cache of above supplies as needed
Especially if team is the primary team in/coordinating team
Identification
Photo ID, license and other personal identification
Official Team/Deployment ID
Professional ID
Cards
Medical
Emergency
Credit/Debit
Cash

Boredom Things:

**Good book(s)
**Deck of cards
**Crossword puzzles
**Travel board games
**Music (electronic or otherwise)

Security: TAKE NOTE…

Do not expect there to be security of your items
Do not bring anything that you can’t bear to lose (or be damaged)
Essential items (e.g. prescriptions and ID) should be with you at all times
Laptops and similar electronic devices may be useful
Consider their security before bringing
Such as security cables and locks (though no guarantee)









The above has been gleaned from Red Cross, PA MHRT, FEMA and personal experience/professional recommendation

[Hobbs]

My mother-in-law is a Presby. Good-luck BigV.

[BigV]

Update:

I heard from one of the people at the church today. Here's an excerpt.

We have received your response form and are now working on putting together the teams. Some of you have already been placed on a team and have your flights ticketed (you know who you are). Some of you are still waiting to hear from us about which team we want to put you on. Please be patient with us, as there is a lot of logistics involved in putting these teams together and getting everyone’s air ticketed. We are doing our very best to place everyone during their first choice week/time frame – but know that you might be asked to go during your 2nd or 3rd choice week. We’ve had an overwhelming response for some weeks, and fewer in others.

I'm not one of those who "know who you are..." I am not on a team yet. Feels like standing in line on the playground, waiting and waiting as the team captains took turns ignoring me. I wasn't always picked last, but I was never picked first. I must say it's good to see that the response has been "overwhelming". Not that I like to see them overwhelmed, but that it's a nice sign to see a strong response.

Meanwhile, I wait some more.

[wolf]

While you're waiting, going over the stuff you've packed and discarding the things you don't really need whiles away some of those hours ...