From: Stephanie Bange <SBange>
Date: Sat, 3 Sep 2005 14:25:42 -0400

I have been in a similar situation -- a disaster caused our evacuation.
  My husband was in the Navy, stationed at Subic Bay, Philippines when Mt. Pinatubo blew in June of 1991. Initial rumblings and burps from the volcano forced the US Air Force to order mandatory evacuation of non-essential personnel from Clark Air Base. Thousands of Americans who were at Clark were sent to Subic Bay, where they were housed in school gyms. I was in a convenience store buying something and began talking to a young woman with two small children. She was an evacuee from Clark and looking for a place to stay during the evacuation. I opened our home to this family. No one seemed particularly worried about damage to Subic at the time. We all assumed the people from Clark would return to the air base in a few days. When the big blast came two days later, it coincided with a typhoon passing through the region. The result was 5 inches of volcanic ash and a massive rainfall (with strong winds) being dumped on the Navy base; even more fell on Clark. (The death knell for Clark Air Base was the laha r -- volcanic mud flows off the mountains, washed down by the rain -- which made the ash deeper to dig out.) Subic Bay area lost electric power, telephones, and water. These things had all been generated on the base. The generators themselves were not damaged, but transformers were damaged by the corrosion of the ashfall. The water purification system was not only damaged, but compromised. Telephone and electrical lines were downed by the ashfall. All of the Clark Air Base refugees were shipped out immediately -- back to the United States. Most abandoned belongings they could not carry; this included cars.
  Life was miserable after 5 days of catching rainwater in order to flush the toilet, no running water (means no showers), and no electricity in a hot, humid climate during the rainy season. We cooked all of our food (as frozen things thawed) on our charcoal grill, recooking foods to ensure we didn't lose any food or eat spoiled food. At that point, the US Navy decided to evacuate all non-essential personnel from the Subic Bay area. We were told over the radio (a local Navy radio station was running on generators -- we had our battery-operated radios) that we had 24 hours to report for evacuation and that we were limited to one suitcase. Not knowing when or if we would return to the Philippines, I packed everything I could fit that was important for myself and my two small children (ages 2 and 3). (My husband was considered essential, so I left him not knowing when I would see him again.)
  With my small footlocker, backpack full of diapers, one child by the hand and another child in her carseat (she needed this for the airplane flight and I needed to ensure she wouldn't wander away), we boarded a helicopter to fly to the amphibious assault ship USS Pelilu. I thank God every day for the Marines! I had a young marine greet me when I disembarked the helicopter, take my footlocker, and lead me down several decks to my assigned bunk aboard the ship. I found the bunk had clean sheets to sleep in and hot food in the mess. I was able to take a hot shower for the first time in almost a week. While aboard the ship, it occurred to me that some young marines had given up their bunks for my family; I left them a note thanking them for their kindness.
  In Cebu, Philippines, we were transferred onto an Air Force C-131, where we were flown to Andersen Air Force Base on Guam. It took a day and a half for me to process paperwork for my family; there were over 5,000 evacuees in one large hangar doing the same thing. We had to keep our personal belongings with us, as we were processed. I am sure that everyone was as stressed as I was. A bulletin board had cards posted with names and phone numbers of families willing to take in evacuees. I made a phone call and was fortunate that I picked the phone number for the home of one of the base chaplains. Also, I was able to connect with a friend while we were waiting.
  When our number came up, we were flown to McChord Air Force Base in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA area, where it took a full day to process us. I was very thankful for the families at McChord; they had set up a child care area and watched over my two daughters and footlocker while I waited in several different lines for several hours being processed. This was helpful for not only were the children entertained, I was able to move around quickly and have that good cry which I really needed by this point. Additionally, the climate in Washington was a bit cooler than we were dressed for (Philippines) and the processing center there provided us with sweatshirts to keep us warm. I have always felt thankful for all the help received in Washington.
  Five days after we left the Philippines, we arrived at our destination -- Louisiana -- where we had family to take us in. We had traveled nearly 8500 miles in that time. I know my process of evacuation would have been worse if not for the kindness of strangers nearly every step of the way. (The rest of the story is that two months later, many of the evacuees returned to the Philippines. We swapped stories of our evacuation experiences with each other, providing therapy and support for for each.)
  The American Spirit of Giving and Sharing was alive then and I believe it is still. God Bless America!
  Stephanie Bange Children's Librarian Wilmington-Stroop Branch Dayton Metro Library
 

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From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu on behalf of Sally Miller Sent: Fri 9/2/2005 8:48 PM To: ccbc-net Subject: [CCBC-Net] off topic book drives



I've never been in a situation like that in New Orleans, but from my many years as a mother of young children, I can say without a minute of hesitation that in such circumstances I would welcome with heartfelt gratitude anyone who came to help my children in any way. Just imagine trying to comfort and entertain your children in a shelter when your own heartbreak and worries are enough to overwhelm you -- for me, I believe, the sight of someone with a book who would engage my children's minds for even five or ten minutes would be such a blessing. It's not romanticizing poverty to want to help in whatever way he or she can -- some give diapers and food, and some give hope another way. Let us not disparage anyone's offering. Sally Derby
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Received on Sat 03 Sep 2005 01:25:42 PM CDT