Counties, Cities Form Regional Recovery Team To Enable Long-Term Recovery

Memorial Weekend Disaster Survivors

Editor’s Note:  All of the organizations that are still involved in the clean-up and helping the survivors of the horrible flooding, are in desperate need of volunteers.

If you only have a couple of hours a week, you can help and get involved. This is our community and we all have a responsibility to make it the best community it can be.

Of course, these organizations need financial support as well, but…you do not have to give money to give back to this great region.

It only takes a couple of hours a week, and you will know that you were part of a team that is helping to bring this regional to an even better place then what it was before.

Four counties – Blanco, Caldwell, Guadalupe and Hays – have joined forces to coordinate the long-term recovery efforts from the Memorial Weekend flood and storms in conjunction with their affected cities. The recovery is expected to take as long as several years.

“With the formation of the Blanco River Regional Recovery Team (BR3T) we can address our common interests in helping to ensure our citizens have their long-term needs met as we rebuild our lives and communities,” Dan Kramer, Emergency Management Program Specialist for Guadalupe County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Marshal, said. The BR3T organization is seeking incorporation as a 501(c)3 non-profit.

Kramer, who is serving as interim chair of the BR3T Board, said, “The goal of the Board is to have local resident volunteers from our counties be the major component of the committees we’ve developed to serve the survivors.” He noted that the formation of the committees is considered a best practice following a major disaster.

Initial committees include Donations, Volunteers, Rebuilding, Emotional/Spiritual and Public Information, as well as Case Management. World Renew Disaster Response Services of Grand Rapids, Michigan will conduct a needs assessment for disaster victims, which is expected to begin in September. World Renew offers its free expertise in recovery case management services globally. Local volunteers are expected to be an integral part of all the committees.

“We anticipate that our committees will be fully functional within the next few weeks and we will ultimately have a presence via multiple social media sites as well our administrative office at 801 W. MLK in San Marcos,” Kramer said. Any resident of the four affected counties who is interested in volunteering for a committee is encouraged to find out more by contacting blancoriverregional@gmail.com. Website: www.BR3T.org www.facebook.com/BR3Volunteers