‘Everyday heroes’ honored this March

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and officials and volunteers of the local American Red Cross chapter pose for a photo outside the Office of the Governor building last week. (Dennis B. Chan)

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and Lt. Gov. Victor Hocog declared March “American Red Cross Month,” honoring the long hours the islands’ committed volunteer lent to secure the island’s recovery after Typhoon Soudelor last year.

The proclamation, signed by Torres and Hocog, to a crowd of Red Cross officials and volunteers last Thursday, honors these “everyday heroes” who gave of themselves to assist their neighbors when they needed a helping hand.

Over 250 of these extraordinary local heroes, the proclamation said, tirelessly helped their neighbors recover in the aftermath of Typhoon Soudelor.

American Red Cross-NMI Chapter executive director John Hirsch spoke about the storm’s “incredible devastation” and this gratitude to all the hometown heroes present at the Office of the Governor conference room gave “so selflessly gave of themselves and worked tirelessly, 16, 18 hours day, oftentimes in very difficult situations in work and at home and at the Red Cross to help those who are the most vulnerable and needy in our community.”

“It’s just unbelievable the amount the partnerships that were established with our federal partners, with our state Commonwealth government, and so many the organizations that stood up during that difficult time,” added Hirsch.

The Red Cross was on “the frontline” of recovery and provided over $5 million in direct assistance to the people in the community. He also thanked the large contingent of volunteers from the U.S. mainland who assisted efforts during the typhoon response and outreach, and now with long-term recovery.

Hirsch also thanked the Federal Emergency Management Agency for its help with immediate disaster case management and a continuing disaster case management program. “This is a program that is going to run for the 18 to 24 months,” Hirsch said. “And just as the governor said this is really the critical time where we are seeing a lot of people who didn’t get enough help. The mission is to map the resources and to find out what’s in our community, around the nation, and around the world and try to connect those resources with the people that still really need them.”

Red Cross staff Kyley Sweeney, from Chicago, was on Saipan for about a month during the response efforts. He has been on island for about five or six months after returning briefly to the mainland after his first stint.

“It’s great. I love Saipan, I love the people,” Sweeney said when asked to describe his experiences. “That’s why I came back. I just kind of bonded with everybody and saw the strength of what happened at the chapter. They got a lot of stronger. People came out, gave their time and really wanted to be engaged.”

Sweeney highlighted a long process that saw results and were meaningful for people like being able to help typhoon victims work through the paperwork process of appealing their FEMA case.

“People are so happy,” he said. “They are in terrible situations and they are still smiling and joking around and that’s really great to see.”