From Washington to Iowa, WCC members provide critical flood and wildfire relief

Our Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) members wrapped up their 2023-24 term after a busy year of habitat restoration and trail improvement projects. Some WCC members also spent their last few weeks supporting communities impacted by natural disasters.

As an AmeriCorps program, WCC provides disaster response services in Washington and beyond, responding to wildfires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, oil spills, and more. This summer, our members and staff deployed to Iowa to help communities recovering from major floods and to Jefferson County, Washington, to provide wildfire camp support.

Flood response in Iowa

After historic high waters flooded parts of northwest Iowa in June, AmeriCorps called on WCC to join its second response wave involving AmeriCorps Disaster Response Teams. On Aug. 2, 16 WCC members and four supervisors deployed to Okoboji, Iowa, to serve alongside American Conservation Experience, Texas Conservation Corps, Conservation Corps of Minnesota & Iowa, and the National Civilian Community Corps.

Our primary goal was cleaning up impacted homes and structures by removing water-damaged materials and suppressing mold. Known as "mucking and gutting," this process involves shoveling out mud or flood debris and tearing out materials damaged by water, including drywall, baseboards, cabinetry, and more. Before starting a muck and gut operation, we assess damages to identify potential safety hazards like structural damage or active electrical lines.

By the end of August, AmeriCorps Disaster Response Teams completed 94 damage assessments, cleared 54 homes and structures, and removed 796 cubic yards of water-damaged debris. These efforts are critical in helping community members safely re-enter their homes and start the rebuilding process.

Check out WCC's Instagram to see behind-the-scenes footage of our Iowa deployment from our members.

Wildfire response in Washington

Meanwhile in Washington, WCC sent five members and one supervisor on a 13-day deployment to the town of Brinnon located on the Hood Canal to support the state's wildfire response efforts to the 2620 Road Fire.

Members helped the fire camp run smoothly by cleaning up after meals, filling potholes, hauling materials, and other tasks. The response offered members opportunities to connect with incident command staff and learn about career pathways in wildland firefighting and incident response management. Incident command teams later praised our crew's excitement and dedication.

"It was a great experience coming to fire camp and getting a behind-the-scenes look at what happens during a major fire incident. The days were long but talking to the firefighters and learning about their experiences, how they got into fire response, and why they continue to do it was awesome," said WCC member LeeAnn Frank. "I was able to sit in on a tactical meeting where they went over the status of the fire, what the action plan was, and when we could start bringing back material. I learned a lot and made multiple connections at this fire camp."

Starting off a new service term with disaster response

WCC kicked off our 2024-25 service term on Oct. 1, welcoming nearly 270 members to our field crew and Individual Placement positions. Just a few weeks later, 25 members and 5 supervisors boarded a plane to St. Lucie County, Florida to assist communities after Hurricane Milton swept through the area. Throughout November, our team performed damage assessments on homes and structures and removed hazard trees from impacted areas around the county.

Join WCC!

Washington Conservation Corps, an AmeriCorps program, provides hands-on experience, job training, and networking opportunities for young adults (ages 18 to 25) and military veterans. Applications for our three-quarter term positions are open now! Review open positions on our web map and submit an online application.

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