Just when you think you're out, they pull you back in...

[rachelmanija]

I finally got through to someone from Red Cross disaster services. They sure do not make it easy to get through-- no direct number listed anywhere, which turned out to be because there is no direct number-- so I called three local offices, one of which only had a mailbox, one of which didn't pick up, and the third of which transferred me to a full voice mailbox before finally putting me through to a human being. This is typical ARC, by the way.

The human being, however, was atypically helpful and efficient. It turns out that I am still in the system, and disaster services classes are valid for life, so I am theoretically eligible to be deployed, if they want me. (I'd be available for three weeks in September.) I updated my information with them. We'll see if they actually call me.

ETA: Wait, apparently I'm in the general system, but not the disaster services system. And I could go to an orientation that might put me back in, but it's tomorrow and I will be in midair at that time. They're now looking into whether or not that disqualifies me.

(This was the sort of thing that got me disillusioned with ARC the last time I was involved with it-- someone who's already been trained is offering free labor for three weeks to assist with their biggest mobilization in history, but they may not accept it because, essentially, my records aren't filed in the right database.)

Comments

[oracne.livejournal.com]

Yeesh.

I gave them money anyway.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

How does one get disaster relief training? I think that's something I could do.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Contact your local Red Cross and ask about becoming a disaster services volunteer. There's a lot of things they can train you to do, and the majority of them don't involve being shipped out of state. Most of what I responded to was single-family fires in Los Angeles.