Woman assists people affected by disasters

By Todd Smith, Staff Writer, as published in the Kirkwood-Webster Journal.

Judy Alferman of Kirkwood, an American Red Cross volunteer, recently took part in disaster-relief efforts following a devastating tornado that struck May 4 in Greensburg, Kan.

The tornado destroyed 95 percent of the town, killed 10 people and left most residents without homes.

In response to the tornado's devastation, the American Red Cross asked for volunteers from across the country.

Alferman arrived May 7 in the town and was able to see the damage firsthand.

"The city was flattened," she said. "The wind was so strong that the bark was ripped completely off 100-year-old trees, and whatever was left standing was only a part of a home or building."

Alferman had experience in dealing with communities extensively damaged by a storm. She served as a volunteer in the Southeast following Hurricane Katrina.

"This was my first assignment, which was a baptism by fire," she said.

Alferman said she was in New Orleans a few months after the hurricane, but vast numbers of people still needed Red Cross services.

Alferman said her job as a volunteer is a staff-support and logistics coordinator. In New Orleans she helped organize volunteers to assist in mass feeding and providing continued shelter for people.

In Greensburg, she helped coordinate 400 volunteers and assessed their skills so the right people could be placed in the right tasks.

"The people of Greensburg really wanted to take care of their own. Many of the volunteers had neighbors and family members that were affected by the tornado and were anxious to help," she said.

Alferman said the nearby community of Mullinville opened its high school to Greensburg residents, and this was where people received food, shelter and clothing.

She said the difficulties Greensburg faces could be seen by the mayor, who recently resigned.

"He was overwhelmed by the loss and trying to start a community from scratch," Alferman said.

There are so many issues the people have to face. She pointed out that after a tornado hits, farmers have to go through a field shoulder to shoulder to pick up debris before harvest so the debris does not damage their expensive machinery.

"One farmer was particularly distraught by the large number of dead cattle he had to dispose of," she said.

The American Red Cross helps by first providing the basic needs such as food, shelter, clothing and mental health services.

"The Red Cross is a bridge for people until they can receive longer-term care from the federal and state governments," said Stephen Hall, communication supervisor for the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter.

The Red Cross is not a government agency, and all disaster-relief assistance is free due to public support.

Alferman, 61, said she decided to volunteer for the American Red Cross after seeing a newspaper story about a disaster-relief volunteer a number of years ago. She then received training and was able to draw upon her skills in her business life. She is retired from working in customer relations at Matthews Medical Books in Maryland Heights.

She has not only helped out in disasters across the country, but also locally, following the ice storm that struck the St. Louis area last winter.

Alferman said the Red Cross places people based on their skills, from cooking meals to driving emergency vehicles.

Hall said the Red Cross can find a volunteer position for anyone wanting to help those in need. The local chapter of the Red Cross is in its 90th year.

For more information, (314) 516-2800.