Corps members complete SC disaster deployment

Last Saturday, four corps members returned from a disaster deployment in South Carolina. They worked with FEMA to coordinate volunteer efforts in the wake of torrential storms, which dumped up to two feet of rain in some areas. The early October rains caused widespread flooding that breached dams, closed hundreds of roads, uprooted trees, took out power, contaminated drinking water and killed 17 people. Crew leader Ben Leahy and corps members Matt Gingerich, Al Waisley and Chance Meyer deployed in mid-December and spent 30 days in Columbia and surrounding areas helping to set up Volunteer Agency Liaisons (VALs). By coordinating the work of local volunteer agencies they set the stage for a long-term recovery effort that pools resources. Leahy said he was most surprised by the scale of work that goes into disaster response, all the partners involved and the monumental amount of work that is required to help communities recover. Thank you team!