Learn How To Help Flooded Neighbors

Residents can learn how to help their neighbors recover from floods at a series of workshops sponsored by two community organizations.

“We have people in town who want to help but they need to know where the are most needed,” said Councilwoman Lonni Miller Ryan. Ryan earlier this year to assist victims of emergencies and natural disasters, including floods.

Members of Ryan’s group and Wayne Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) will attend the meetings. Representatives from Project Recover, a ministry of Catholic Charities, and World Cares Center (WCC), a national non-profit organization dedicated to training residents to help others in emergency situations, will attend some of the meetings.

While several organizations, including and , after Hurricane Irene, there are still people who are not living at home yet because of the historic damage the storm caused.

“You have to raise up people from within your community to help out during disasters,” said Lisa Orloff, executive director of WCC. “The old philosophy that some group from outside a community will come in and help with long-term recovery doesn’t work anymore. VOAD has done a tremendous job with raising up people, but they can’t do it alone.”

WCC will train people on how to safely remove mold and debris from flood-damaged homes. The group will also help assess damage from floods and other disasters when they occur.

“There is a certain amount of skills-based training that goes along with this work,” said Marina Diaz, program manager for WCC. “You’ve got to know how to react and assess the damage when a series situation occurs.”
Training sessions will be held on the following days:

• Post-Disaster Assessment Team Training, Tuesday, June 12, 7 to 10 p.m. at .
• Mold Mitigation and Debris Removal Training, Tuesday, June 19, 7 to 10 p.m., at town hall.

Advanced registration is required. For more information or to register, call Ryan at 973-686-3660.

Residents can also find out what resources are available to help them rebuild and repair their homes at the following meeting:

• Wednesday, June 13, 7 p.m., Monday, June 18, noon, and Thursday, June 28 at 7 p.m. at town hall.
• Saturday, June 23, 9 a.m., office of state Sen. Kevin O’Toole and Assemblyman Scott Rumana’s office, 155 Route 46 West, Suite 108, Wayne.

“It’s never too late to help people out and there is a real need out there," Ryan said. "We just want to help so that’s what we’re trying out best to do."

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