We usually think about the red cross as the group you go to donate blood. One things for sure. The American Red Cross of Coastal South Carolina is about way more than blood drives. Since January, the Red Cross has been busy training a group of volunteer for emergences like floods, tornados, even WMD's.
Rebecca Langley's been taking classes with the Red Cross. The courses have included things like psychological first aid and disaster response.
She says it was the events on September 11th, 2001 that sparked her interest in Saturday's weapons of mass destruction training.
"You may not have your local people readily availible, and you may have to draw from other parts and since you never know where it's going to take place, and its very far reaching I think preparedness is probably key," Langley said.
Disaster Manager for the Red Cross Louis Palm says Myrtle Beach itself isn't much of a target for WMD's.
"But your interpretation of weapons of mass destruction, most people think of the activities of 9/11. Today we have troubles in schools, like kids with pipe bombs, that could quickly turn into a mass fatality incident potentially," he adds.
There are currently 160 trained volunteers with the Red Cross disaster unit. This week they've been extremely busy, mostly responding to aid those who were left homeless from house fires.
"36 people were displaced from their houses because of fire, from North Myrtle Beach all the way to Hemmingway," Palm said.
Cliff Miema's another new student to the class. He says the training has helped him prepare, regardless what emergency it might be for.
"Maybe someday I'll help the public, but they're very rewarding to take the class and learn something about yourself and human nature," he says.
Over the past year the local chapter of the Red Cross has sent volunteers to Irene hit towns from North Carolina all the way up the east coast. They also sent a few volunteers to tornado-torn Kentucky the first week of March.
Palm says volunteers interested can sign up for the next round of classes, beginning April 14th.
