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[Music]
People were out and about
doing their normal day-to-day activities.
It didn't really seem like
something was going to happen at all.
We're at the Governor's Mansion in Washington.
Watching The Weather Channel...
because this tornado which was on the ground
from before it crossed the river, above Vesper,
it was just clearly headed
right at the edge of the city.
And about well after 12
it roared through our county.
As soon as the rain stopped,
you know, people poured out of their houses,
300 and something homes were destroyed,
numerous businesses,
probably $15 million worth of damage.
There was just unbelievable devastation right in here.
This restaurant was cut in half,
the top was blown off.
When I actually came up the hill here behind me,
people walking towards me injured,
cars flipped, debris everywhere.
No way you could get to the roads,
trees were down.
You had that smell of pine sap in trees
as it stripped all the leaves off.
When we showed up on that scene,
you know, immediately you see AmeriCorps there,
sitting there coordinating the donations of food,
donations of clothing,
and serving as that information sharing piece.
AmeriCorps was the first one here
and they continued to be in that process all along,
even months after we'd started recovery,
even months after we were rebuilding.
Before the event
the American Red Cross and National Service, as partners,
worked together
with the training of the volunteers in first aid, CPR,
and what we call Shelter Operations.
Rather than trying to determine that after an event,
those things are put in place
that we work very, very well year round,
training, coordinating
and integrating them into the response activity.
National Service brought us hope;
it helped people to get back on their feet.
AmeriCorps, they had the experience,
they had the training,
they had the knowledge,
they knew how to get us started,
but we didn't have that.
You know, it had been 20, 30 years
since we'd had a tornado in Yazoo City
or a natural disaster.
They were the organization that got us going.
First of all ...is not a very big investment,
it's a small investment.
This really is very... this augmentation,
it helps generate more and more volunteerism
from people who aren't part...
who aren't part of that program.
I first met these great young shining volunteers
on the Gulf Coast right after Katrina.
AmeriCorps does such a remarkable job,
and I think building the character also
of those young people
who will go back as adults into their community
and will be the future leaders of that community
and maybe Governor someday.
Making AmeriCorps part of your emergency plan
is very important.
You get to know faces, you get to know names,
you talk,
you make them part of your planning process;
all of this can only prove beneficial.
You're going to achieve some desired outcomes,
but realize in that important piece of it,
you know, you get trained volunteers,
they're organized.
It's important to support AmeriCorps and National Service
because sooner or later
you're going to need them.
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