SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash — Veterans Community Response, an organization out of Spokane Valley, is preparing four members of its Community Responder Team to deploy to the Carolinas, in response to the destruction caused by tropical depression Florence.
The team will be working primarily as a chainsaw unit, clearing downed trees and other debris. VCR is working in partnership with All Hands and Hearts – Smart Response (AHAH), an international disaster response organization.
"I don't believe I will ever do anything in my life that will be more meaningful than this. It will set the standard for myself," one veteran said.
The team will fly out of Spokane on Sept. 18 or 19 and once deployed, the chainsaw team will be working under All Hearts and Hands leadership.
The VCR currently has one team member deployed in St John, U.S. Virgin Islands, working to restore the island from Hurricane Irma. VCR has also recently deployed a trauma clinician to Yabucoa, Puerto Rico to help the AHAH team there work through traumatic events and build resiliency.
VCR now has completed 11 individual deployments in partnership with AHAH in Puerto Rica and the U.S. Virgin Islands.