AMARILLO, TEXAS -- More than 600 Texas volunteers are now ready for the next big response to a disaster.
For the first-time ever 23 Red Cross chapters , including the Panhandle, have joined forces to test their ability to respond to a simulated devastating tornado outbreak.
"I learned a lot. Even though we only did three streets, by the third street we knew exactly what we had done wrong on the other streets, so it was a real learning process -- it was good," said Darla Friemel, local Red Cross volunteer.
Volunteers determined the types of residential damage caused by the mock tornado outbreak and then reported that information back to Red Cross and to F.E.M.A. officials.
"You learn by looking at a house whether it is completely destroyed, whether there is major damage, minor damage, whether it's inaccessible, whether it's just minor where you could go back in the home and stay but it's all a process. There's a direct and exact way how you do the assessment and you learn that as a disaster volunteer," said Martha Riddlespurger, Texas Panhandle Red Cross Director of Disaster Services.
Riddlespurger says helping people is an expensive business and they are always looking for dedicated time as well as donations.
