1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:08,039 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Hi from the Salvation Army. You're listening to 2 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: Words of Life. 3 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 2: The words. 4 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:28,920 Speaker 3: These are the words of the life. 5 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:32,520 Speaker 4: Hey, and welcome back to Words of Life. We're about 6 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 4: to jump into a series next week with a panel 7 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:37,519 Speaker 4: of people who all work in what I would consider 8 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 4: very difficult fields. These are areas of ministry and support 9 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,040 Speaker 4: that are and should be a critical focus for the church. 10 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:49,040 Speaker 4: Will be joined by a mental health therapist, people who 11 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 4: work in anti human trafficking, addiction, recovery, homelessness and more. 12 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:57,240 Speaker 4: One thing we will continue to discuss throughout this series 13 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 4: is how we are caring for the caretakers. How are 14 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 4: these individuals who were pouring themselves out to help other 15 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:07,760 Speaker 4: people also being poured into So today we're going to 16 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:11,319 Speaker 4: hear a beautiful story from Bobby Geary. Bobby serves in 17 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 4: disaster operations and deployment for the Salvation Armies Emergency disaster Services. 18 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:29,039 Speaker 2: So during a major disaster, I'm responsible for the deployment 19 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 2: of all of our personnel. That primarily means I need 20 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:34,479 Speaker 2: to make sure that we have the right number of 21 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 2: people and the right number of canteens or food service 22 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 2: tracks on the ground at any given time. If we 23 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 2: have a deficit, then that means that the meals don't 24 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:46,959 Speaker 2: get out. So I make sure that we look at 25 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 2: where we can bring personnel in from. Sometimes that's as 26 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 2: far away as Canada or Puerto Rico or Bermuda, or 27 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:56,720 Speaker 2: as close as thirty miles away from the disaster site. 28 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 2: But the goal is to make sure that we get 29 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 2: those folks on site and ready to go just as 30 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 2: quickly as possible. 31 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 4: Hey, you're listening to the Salvation Armies Words of Life. 32 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:13,919 Speaker 4: We're going to take a quick ad break and. 33 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:14,799 Speaker 1: We'll be right back. 34 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 2: Personally, from a personal perspective of taking care of getting 35 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 2: ready for a disaster, I always want to make sure 36 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 2: that I have my personal things taking care of at home. 37 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 2: You know, is my family taken care of? Is there 38 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 2: any outstanding things I need to do that may I 39 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:48,239 Speaker 2: may not have time to come back to for several weeks. 40 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:51,959 Speaker 2: So I look at that I clear my calendar, let 41 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:54,240 Speaker 2: my family know, don't call, I'm going to be busy 42 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 2: for a few weeks. And then from a work perspective, Wow, 43 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 2: it's beginning to think strategically what resources do we need 44 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 2: to put on the ground, When do they need to arrive? 45 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:11,560 Speaker 2: Do we need to do stuff pre landfall or post landfall, 46 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 2: where do we need to bring in resources from and 47 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:20,240 Speaker 2: then and then start planning and plotting in order to 48 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 2: get folks on the ground as soon as possible. Time 49 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 2: just is different in a hurricane response or a major 50 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,920 Speaker 2: disaster response, especially when you work in a room with 51 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 2: no windows or fresh sunlight, and so the days kind 52 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 2: of seem to run together and they all look the same. 53 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 2: So I think that's one of the things I dread 54 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 2: most about being in a command post for so long 55 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 2: is just the days just seem to all look exactly 56 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 2: the same, and there's a new problem every day to solve, 57 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 2: or multiple problems. In the end, the decision fatigue starts 58 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 2: to set in where you just really are at a 59 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:09,680 Speaker 2: place where if I have to make one more decision, 60 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 2: even what to eat for lunch, that's just too much. 61 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:17,479 Speaker 2: So yeah, so being in the command post is one 62 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 2: of those things that takes its toll on you. I 63 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 2: think one of the other things about the command post 64 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 2: is working with your team members and recognizing that you 65 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 2: spend a lot of time together and how do you 66 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 2: manage that when there's lots of stress levels and there's 67 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 2: lots of difficulties, and how do you stay connected in 68 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 2: a really good, strong place even in the midst of 69 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 2: all of the challenges that you're facing. It's important to 70 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 2: stay as close to the command post as possible. So 71 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:57,840 Speaker 2: we've started utilizing a hotel near our offices in order 72 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 2: to get a little more sleep then what I would 73 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 2: get if I drove home or into the office, which 74 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 2: is about forty forty five minutes away. Each morning, I 75 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:11,120 Speaker 2: try to come in between six thirty and seven am. 76 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:15,279 Speaker 2: It's quiet, no one else is here yet most people 77 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:19,279 Speaker 2: start trickling in a little after seven. A typical day 78 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 2: starts with a command staff briefing around eight am, so 79 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 2: that we can just kind of go around and discuss 80 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:29,840 Speaker 2: our key objectives for the day. What is it that 81 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:33,360 Speaker 2: we want to accomplish in each of our different sections. 82 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:36,840 Speaker 2: So that's how the morning starts. After that, it's booking 83 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:41,280 Speaker 2: airline tickets. It's recruiting personnel. It's making sure that they 84 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 2: get the important information they need if they're coming in 85 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 2: and when they're coming in. It's troubleshooting. Oh, I've misspelled 86 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 2: the name on an airline ticket. I'm going to have 87 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 2: to call the airline and get that resolved. It's Oh, 88 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 2: this person said that they could come, and now they 89 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 2: cannot come, So I'm down two or three extra people 90 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 2: that I needed. Oh, this canteen broke down along the 91 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:06,240 Speaker 2: side of the road. How am I going to get 92 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 2: the folks that are in that canteen to safety? You know. 93 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:13,479 Speaker 2: So it's troubleshooting, it's answering the phone calls that are 94 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 2: constantly coming in. It's making sure that you have the 95 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:23,600 Speaker 2: personnel you need to support you. So I think that 96 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:29,920 Speaker 2: disaster workers sacrifice a lot. During hurricane season, we rarely 97 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:33,600 Speaker 2: get to see our families. I saw my family in 98 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:38,840 Speaker 2: a month's time for maybe at most eight hours. So 99 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 2: this work isn't just difficult on us as individuals, it's 100 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:48,719 Speaker 2: difficult on our families. It's just hard. It is just 101 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 2: so so hard. It's even if you are present with 102 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 2: your family, at certain times, you're not present because the 103 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 2: phone might ring again, the email might come in, the 104 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:03,360 Speaker 2: text message. So I think a lot of the toll 105 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:08,719 Speaker 2: is there's fatigue. Certainly, there's the decision fatigue most definitely, 106 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 2: but there's also missing out on on being part of 107 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 2: the family. My family, we've had something scheduled for several 108 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 2: weeks about going to the pumpkin patch and enjoying our fall, 109 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 2: and I had to not I had to say no, 110 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 2: I couldn't. I couldn't make it work. And so you know, 111 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:33,160 Speaker 2: that's that's really difficult, is missing out on the memories 112 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:37,200 Speaker 2: that that you're that that your family's creating and you 113 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:42,600 Speaker 2: don't get to be a part of it. The number 114 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 2: of emails and phone calls are it varies, so in 115 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 2: the in the very beginning there are probably, uh, this 116 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 2: is not an exaggeration, one hundred phone calls and emails 117 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 2: a day, and so so that is it is just 118 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 2: a non stop door of information coming in and information 119 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 2: going out. 120 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 4: We pray that you're enjoying and being blessed by this conversation. 121 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 4: We're going to take one more ad break and we'll 122 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 4: be right back. 123 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 2: One of the things we do here at our headquarters 124 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 2: in the command post is support our EDS professionals who 125 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 2: are in the field, and so that means helping them 126 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:40,320 Speaker 2: think about what needs to happen next. It's about helping 127 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:43,200 Speaker 2: them think about what resources there might be available that 128 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:48,960 Speaker 2: they've not thought about. It's just providing that that support 129 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 2: system around them to know we've got your back. We're 130 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:53,959 Speaker 2: going to help you as best as we can, and 131 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 2: so bring us your questions, bring us your needs, and 132 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:03,960 Speaker 2: we'll see how we can support. So in April, we 133 00:09:04,559 --> 00:09:09,320 Speaker 2: did a tabletop exercise. Jeff and I wrote the exercise material. 134 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:13,240 Speaker 2: Each of the eight divisions was given a scenario, and 135 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:17,240 Speaker 2: in that scenario, they had to make decisions about how 136 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 2: they would respond to the particular disaster situation. In most cases, 137 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 2: they had multiple areas within their division impacted. So ironically, 138 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 2: here we are Hurricane Helene and Milton, multiple locations impacted, 139 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:38,720 Speaker 2: not only in different divisions, but across our entire fifteen 140 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:43,960 Speaker 2: state territory. And so it's very interesting that we developed 141 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 2: a scenario tabletop exercise where we had to determine what 142 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:54,480 Speaker 2: our course of action would be, and then just a 143 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:58,040 Speaker 2: few months later we were actually playing that same scenario 144 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:01,319 Speaker 2: out in real life. The goal of tabletop really is 145 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:05,719 Speaker 2: to think through scenarios that could could really happen, so 146 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:09,040 Speaker 2: that we can better prepare for and plan for those 147 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 2: those events. It's interesting because for for what seven weeks, 148 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 2: we ran on adrenaline. That adrenaline is pumping through our 149 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:29,480 Speaker 2: bodies on a regular, regular basis, and honestly thank goodness 150 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:33,680 Speaker 2: for adrenaline, because I'm not sure how how we would 151 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:37,480 Speaker 2: accomplish all that we do without the adrenaline. But now 152 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 2: that things have winded down, now that things are going 153 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:43,679 Speaker 2: back into normal, I noticed that my body doesn't know 154 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:48,840 Speaker 2: how to manage without the adrenaline. You know that adrenaline 155 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 2: gives you a rush, And so oddly enough, it's now 156 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 2: that I stopped sleeping. Before I would as soon as 157 00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:00,720 Speaker 2: my headwod hit the pillow, I would be sleep. And 158 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:04,600 Speaker 2: now my mind is racing, and the only thing I 159 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 2: can attribute it to is coming down off of that 160 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:12,200 Speaker 2: adrenaline and beginning to try to relax, which hasn't happened 161 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:14,959 Speaker 2: in several weeks. One of the things that we do 162 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:19,120 Speaker 2: when possible is to go out and visit some of 163 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 2: the operations, and so I think that it's easy for 164 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 2: us to I think I'll go back to the command post. 165 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:35,439 Speaker 2: Being in the command post is rather isolating, and oftentimes 166 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:39,160 Speaker 2: it's hard to keep in perspective what we're doing outside 167 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:42,640 Speaker 2: of the command post, and so every chance I get, 168 00:11:42,920 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 2: I try to at least make one trip out to 169 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 2: see what the operations are looking like. This year, I 170 00:11:49,559 --> 00:11:53,000 Speaker 2: was able to visit Ashville twice, and in that time 171 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:56,680 Speaker 2: I was able to connect with our Baptist partners, see 172 00:11:57,160 --> 00:12:01,760 Speaker 2: the meals they were serving or produce for us, and 173 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:06,160 Speaker 2: visit with our command staff and canteen crews and emotional 174 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:08,880 Speaker 2: and spiritual care providers, just to get a sense of 175 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 2: how things were going on the ground. One day, we 176 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 2: were able to actually travel up into the mountains and 177 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:22,559 Speaker 2: see the people that were impacted the most by Hurricane Helene. 178 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:26,520 Speaker 2: And I was grateful for the lady that pulled up 179 00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:30,679 Speaker 2: beside us and said thank you, thank you for the 180 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:34,520 Speaker 2: meals that you're providing. It's so easy to think about 181 00:12:34,559 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 2: things in terms of numbers, but to see and hear 182 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 2: the people who have been impacted and are grateful for 183 00:12:43,679 --> 00:12:47,839 Speaker 2: that meal that we provide, it makes what we do 184 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:51,400 Speaker 2: worth it. Whenever you're getting one hundred phone calls a day, 185 00:12:51,679 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 2: it just makes it worth it. 186 00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:01,040 Speaker 4: To learn more about the Salvation Armies Emergency Disaster services, 187 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 4: visit salarmyeds dot org. And to support the Salvation Army's 188 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:10,319 Speaker 4: continued efforts as we help people get back on their 189 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:14,800 Speaker 4: feet after a disaster, visit give dot Help Salvation Army 190 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:15,480 Speaker 4: dot org. 191 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:46,440 Speaker 1: The Salvation Army's mission doing the most good means helping 192 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:49,559 Speaker 1: people with material and spiritual needs. You become a part 193 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 1: of this mission every time you give to the Salvation Army. 194 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:55,960 Speaker 1: Visit Salvation ARMYUSA dot org to offer your support. You 195 00:13:55,960 --> 00:13:58,560 Speaker 1: can subscribe to Words of Life on your favorite podcast 196 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:02,360 Speaker 1: store or visit Salvation Army soundcast dot org. Join us 197 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:04,600 Speaker 1: next time for the Savage Armies Words of Life. 198 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:14,679 Speaker 3: These are the words words of Life. 199 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:38,800 Speaker 4: Thanks so much for listening to Words of Life. We 200 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:40,680 Speaker 4: want to thank the team at Life Audio for their 201 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 4: partnership with us on the show. Visit lifeaudio dot com, 202 00:14:44,160 --> 00:14:46,880 Speaker 4: where you'll find dozens of other faith centered podcasts in 203 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 4: their network. They have shows about prayer, Bible studying, parenting, 204 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:53,840 Speaker 4: and more. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you next time.