SDIA’s DRM to South Texas 8/20-9/4/17
As SDIA Disaster Response Teams (DRTs) work to assist those affected by Hurricane Irma in Florida, DRTs will also redeploy on Thur., Sept. 14, to Rockport, Texas, to continue with muck-out operations in that area.
While we await news of their hard work, here is a recap of – and a few stories from – the recent Disaster Response Mission (DRM) to Texas.
The first DRT departed from Northwest Arkansas the evening of 8/29, stopping at Bethel Ranch in Texas to rest for the night - THANK YOU for your generosity and hospitality, Bethel Ranch! The next morning the DRT continued to Houston. On the way, they stopped to visit Non-Profit Partner, Carry The Load (CTL), in Dallas. CTL blessed SDIA with a $20,000 contribution toward assistance efforts, and 3 truckloads of supplies the next day. Thank you, Carry The Load!
After arriving in Spring, TX, the DRT set up their Command Center, and once they began...
SDIA Hurricane Harvey DRM Update 9.3.17
Over 130 SDIA Members, Volunteers and 1st Battalion, 23rd Regiment Marines have been working long, hard days in 90+ degree heat helping the people of Texas begin recovering from Hurricane Harvey's devastation. Yesterday alone, the DRTs worked in 7 different areas to:
Deliver water, food & medical supplies to residents and aid stations;
Boat assist 7 families in Beaumont and Memorial to retrieve medications and IDs/needed documents;
Muck-out 14 homes; and
Chainsaw 13 properites clear of trees & debris.
Today - the last day of this deployment, 130 SDIA members, volunteers and Marines will be mucking out 14 homes in Spring, Texas. Most homes in the area had water up to the ceiling on the first level, which requires removal of all flooring, sheetrock and insulation. One of many moving moments during this mission happened after the teams finished their work yesterday. One group had mucked out a Marine Vietnam Veteran's home the day before; in a closet the team...
SDIA Hurricane Harvey DRM Update 9.1.17
Over the past 72 hours, much work has been done by your SDIA Disaster Response Teams (DRTs) and volunteers from the 1st Battalion, 23rd Regiment Marines - all 130+ of them!
800lbs of food & medical supplies, and 300cs water were distributed.
7 boat crews rescued and/or assisted more than 170 Houston residents.
5 chainsaw teams cleared trees & debris from 9 homes in and around Rockport.
13 homes were mucked-out in northwest Houston.
Today, more than 70 SDIA members, volunteers and 1/23 Marines will be hard at work.
Boat crews were dispatched to Houston & Beaumont. Muck-out teams will clear homes in Northwest Houston and the Rockport areas. Non-perishable food, medical supplies, and bottled water will be distributed by all DRTs.
At this time, SDIA will not be deploying additional DRTs to Texas. When fuel and other issues are rectified in the next week or two, SDIA plans to deploy DRTs again to continue muck out, chainsaw, and food/water distributiion operations. Watch...
SDIA Teams in Texas to Assist in Recovery
On Tues., 8/29, Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (SDIA) deployed Disaster Response Team 1 (DRT1) to the Houston area to assist with Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts. 20+ SDIA Members and Volunteers are on site; they were joined yesterday by a large contigency of 1st Battlion 23rd Regiment Marines that are stationed or live in the area.
DRT1 received their orders this morning and are on the move to help as many Texans as possible. 5 boat crews will assist with rescue operations in the Houston area. 5 chainsaw teams will clear trees & debris and cover roofs & windows in Rockport, which sustained significant wind/storm damage, but little flood damage. Remaining DRT1 members will conduct muck-out operations in Northwest Houston where waters have begun to recede.
DRT2 will arrive tomorrow (9/1) with additional SDIA Members and Volunteers to assist in our recovery operations. By Friday, more than 60 SDIA members and volunteers will have deployed from our Central Arkansas,
SDIA DEPLOYING DISASTER RESPONSE TEAMS TO TEXAS
Disaster Response Teams to Conduct Tropical Storm Harvey Recovery Operations Hurricane/Tropical Storm Harvey has hit Houston and southeastern Texas with over 24" of rain, with total rainfall predictions at 40-50" or more over the next few days. Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (SDIA) is sending Disaster Response Teams to assist with recovery efforts in the Rockport, Texas, area August 29 through September 5. More than 60 members and volunteers will deploy from our Eastern Tennessee, Kansas, North Texas, Northeast Oklahoma, Northwest Arkansas, San Antonio and Washington chapters and teams, led by National Office staff. Teams will conduct muck-out operations, clear trees and debris, and other needed tasks. In order to ensure that the SDIA disaster response teams have the supplies and materials necessary for this extensive mission, they are asking for your help. Secure financial donations can be made at www.SheepDogIA.org/get-involved/donate. Material donations of tarps, roofing nails, tools, bottled water, hygiene supplies, or other necessities, are welcomed...
SDIA Assists West Virginians Following Severe Flooding
For 5 days earlier this month, Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (SDIA) Disaster Response Teams (DRTs) worked tirelessly to provide disaster recovery assistance to residents of West Virginia by conducting home muck-out & debris removal, chainsaw operations, and other relief efforts as needed. Nearly 30 SDIA members and volunteers deployed from the Northwest Arkansas Chapter, Eastern Tennessee Team, Kansas Chapter, Western North Carolina Chapter, and the Southwest Virginia Team. SDIA’s on-site Incident Commander, Eastern TN Team Leader Chadd Landress, reported that by the end of the mission, DRTs worked 360 man hours and mucked (cleaned) out 41 homes; of these homes, 11 were home to Veterans or families of Veterans, 1 was Law Enforcement, and 2 were families of Firefighters. DRTs also assisted with unloading & sorting donated products, provided basic first aid to a few individuals, and other assistance as requested.
Helping West Virginia residents in need not only provided SDIA members with an opportunity to use their skills and training, it...
SDIA Deploys Disaster Response Team to Northern Illinois
Tornado season is upon us, and for Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (SDIA) that means being ready to hit the road with chainsaws, tarps and able bodies to assist communities in need at a moment’s notice. On Friday, April 10, at 4:00PM, that’s exactly what happened. SDIA deployed a team of six Northwest Arkansas members and volunteers who headed north to Illinois to help the community of Kirkland, one of a few areas ravaged by tornadoes. Once in northern Illinois, the NWA team met up with other SDIA members from Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri and Tennessee and went to find people to help. Following the path of the tornado, the team saw areas that were virtually untouched – like a mobile home park in Rochelle – as well as areas with larger homes that were completely destroyed. Finding the Kirkland neighborhood gave the SDIA team the opportunity to assist residents by clearing downed trees, covering leaking windows and roofs, and talking with its...