FAIRFAX, VA (June 13, 2011) -- Jon Cauble has been a Red Cross volunteer for the last two years. He is a Disaster Action Team (DAT) Lead and a certified Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) driver with the American Red Cross in the National Capital Region. Last month, Jon had the opportunity to go on his first deployment to Alabama following the recent tornadoes that devastated that area.

He drove one of the local Red Cross ERVs from Prince William County to Birmingham, Alabama and then to a small rural town called Snead, which is where he remained for two weeks. He worked 12 to 13 hours a day delivering meals to affected homes. Over 10 tornadoes had passed through Snead. Some homes were completely destroyed.

Jon was impressed by the support offered by the local community. Response following a tornado can be especially challenging, because street signs are often missing, which makes navigation difficult. “From the first week we were there, the local volunteer fire station offered a lot of assistance. I encouraged ERV drivers in other towns to also reach out to the local fire chiefs for support,” said Jon.

For Jon this was a fulfilling experience that he would repeat. He is willing to deploy again, and in the meantime is going to take courses in Disaster Assessment (DA) and Logistics, to be able to assist with other aspects of the response next time he deploys. Click here to view disaster courses offered by your local Red Cross.

In addition to having recently deployed, Jon has responded to about a dozen DAT calls for local disasters, such as fires, emergencies caused by heavy snow and a recent gas explosion.

Red Cross Volunteer Jon Cauble in Snead, Alabama.

Photo provided by Jon Cauble