It’s only May and already there has been such destruction from tornadoes and floods throughout the Midwest, and unfortunately will be continuing through next week. Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Iowa are just some of the areas that have been largely affected. Hundreds of tornados have ravished through the areas and at least nine people confirmed dead. Four rivers have also surged which has added to the already inflicted areas. This has been the wettest 12-month season in record-keeping history and has only just begun. Earlier in the year, the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration predict that two-thirds of the states in the lower 48 would risk major to moderate flooding between March and May.
Photo’s courtesy of KatyTrailMO.com
A Certified Child Life Specialist and member of Child Life Disaster Relief, Debbie Wagers, deployed last month with our partner Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) to Valley, Nebraska. It was a short one-day deployment, but her and the CDS team was still able to work with eight children who had been affected by the severe flooding in the area. This past week, Boon Murray, another Certified Child Life Specialist and member of Child Life Disaster Relief, also joined a Children’s Disaster Services team to support children affected by flooding in Davenport, Iowa. Thank you to both of them and the rest of the CDS volunteers for their continued dedication to supporting children in these vulnerable moments.
Please continue to keep all that have been affected, including the first responders and volunteers, in your hearts and let’s hope that this rain and stormy weather pattern ceases soon.