Red Cross looks to strengthen local presence

Transition period, one trained volunteer give rise to new focus in Palo Pinto County

Representatives from the Red Cross of North Central Texas in Wichita Falls paid a visit Thursday to Mineral Wells to mend fences and make plans to build a Red Cross presence in the county.

“Right now, only one person represents the Red Cross [in Palo Pinto County],” said Karen Radwanski, the interim director of emergency services for North Central Texas.

Mike Eubank, the only Disaster Action Team trained person in the county, has been running Red Cross operations in Palo Pinto County alone for several years.

Though he had help when he first took over the position about five years ago, lately he hasn’t even had a back up for weekends he wants to leave town.

Radwanski, volunteer coordinator Duke Osborn, and volunteers Ralph Self and Paul Roberts from Wichita Falls visited with community members at a request from the Woodsmen of the World Lodge 703.

The Red Cross of North Central Texas covers 16 counties and Palo Pinto is the farthest area south.

Several at the meeting expressed the feeling that Palo Pinto County had fallen though the cracks and expressed frustration with past Red Cross administration in Wichita Falls.

“The other guy was down here several times [recruiting at Woodmen of the World],” Eubank said. “But they never followed through.”

They did have one training session but Eubank has been working essentially alone for some time now.

“Our chapter has a brand new CEO … three weeks ago,” Radwanski said. “I think you will find her very easy to work with. Katrina Farmer is a valuable plus to our chapter.”

Radwanski, who is returning to Pennsylvania in the next week, said she would do her best to make sure things followed through this time.

Meeting participants scheduled dates to train volunteers in January, the first step to forming DAT teams of volunteers in the area.

They also brainstormed ways tap the volunteer base in the smaller communities across the county at the meeting.

Though Wichita Falls is about two hours away, a response to the west side of Possum Kingdom Lake from there might be as fast as from Mineral Wells, several pointed out.

“If we pitch it to the fire departments … they know who’s in those areas that we might not think of,” Mineral Wells Volunteer Fire Department Chief Steve Perdue said.

For now, Eubank responds to calls from across the county.

“[I’m called out] three or four times a month, usually in the middle of the night,” Eubank said. “When it comes, it comes hard, fast and furious.”

Afterwards, he often spends hours just filling out the paperwork.

There was also discussion about identifying a place in Mineral Wells to store resources such as cots, comfort kits and blankets.

“One of the problems is storing stuff where everybody can get a hold of it,” Eubank said. “[Palo Pinto County Emergency Management Coordinator Barry Gill] needs to know where the resources are.”

The emergency shelter contract with Mineral Wells ISD also expired several years ago and is currently non-existent.

“I’m not too worried about cots,” Perdue said. “People [around here] don’t go to shelters.”

However, Perdue and Eubank discussed options for obtaining a trailer and other resources to bring food and water to firefighters and emergency responders dealing with a crisis, such as the fire at Furr Building Materials last month.

Radwanski also made arrangements with representatives from the First Baptist Church in East Possum Kingdom at the meeting bring 25 cots and blankets to be stored near their designated emergency shelter.

Radwanski also encouraged the group from Possum Kingdom to send volunteer recruits to the January training days.

“I’m very pleased to see that we are going to have a real, live entity in Mineral Wells,” said Marilyn Rhodes, representing the United Way of Palo Pinto County, which donates several thousand dollars to the Red Cross for the county each year. “There is not a working number in the phone book … there’s a need for the Red Cross and a desperate need for emergency services.”

Those interested in volunteering can contact volunteer coordinator Duke Osborn at (940)322-8686 ext. 33 or dukeo@wfbiz.rr.com.