Today was Red Cross New York day for me, and no surprises that I was impressed. Although from the outset it is worth noting that I have travelled 16,000kms to learn that they have the same challenges we do but just on a slightly different scale.
NYC have around 5,500 volunteers, respond to 3,000 disasters a year, have 100 staff and a budget that is basically the same as the whole of Red Cross Victoria for their emergencies department. Although many of the challenges we have on the home front have been overcome by the New Yorkers, they are still fresh in their memories. These guys do some amazing work and have volunteers doing things we could only dream of in Australia. Importantly, they have really big trucks! We see a ford F-250 on the road and think wow that's big - I did until I saw their F-650!! It has enough gear in it for four shelters to be established and it is one of around 20 of these trucks. Then there is the vans for housefire response, the Jeeps to just get around in and my personal favourite, the Hummer, which is their communications car. What I didn't see was their mobile command post/EOC that is worth around $500,000.
I've been promised a ride along and a few nights out on the town over the next week or so, so for folks interested in Red Cross stuff there will be more and for those interested in stories of me having nights out likely to get me deported, well, apparently they are on the cards too.
One of the guys is going to take me down to Ground Zero which will be good. I think I will get a much more informative take on the scene from him as he has a FDNY background.
I know it sounds like work that I did today, but hanging out the guys who do it like true pros was worthwhile - and I got to see some really cool toys, so it was a bit like a holiday anyway!
Will probably go see some more comedy tonight while the festival is on, have booked tix for Broadway tomorrow night and will probably go check out the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Centre tomorrow.
1 comment:
Oooooh toys! Sounds exciting. Not sure what an F-250 is but I get the gist of your story. Your stats are mindblowing, and not a little disheartening...
Have lots and lots of fun and takes lots of non-Facebook-interesting techie photos and steal lots of stuff (electronically this time please!).
We are tracking your progress with interest...
Post a Comment