On My Last nERV

I generally post just once a week, but today needs its own entry. 

One of the most important Disaster Services that we provide at the Red Cross is the mass food distribution via Emergency Response Vehicles, commonly called ERVs. Here is one pictured below.

In order to drive this vehicle, one has to get certified and pass a driving test. The Mid Alabama Region does not offer this  course too often, so Mike, Dawn, and I jumped on the chance to take it in Anniston, Alabama, so that we can begin teaching it and driving the ERV ourselves. We met at 7:20 this morning in order to make the two hour drive in order to be on time.

The class had five people in it and began with us waiting fifteen minutes for them to print off enough workbooks for us. It's a good thing they did this since the teacher referenced the eighty-page book ONCE. He made us drive over to a different building to show another class what an ERV looks like. Then we all took turns driving a short route and backing into a parking space. On the way back to the chapter house, the ERV ran out of coolant, so he sent us to buy it at KMart. 

We were all certified without learning anything about the vehicles controls, functions, or proof of valid driver's licenses. On the way home, I read the workbook aloud and discovered the plethora of information he failed to tell us and all of the qualifications we were supposed to have in order to be able to take the course.

Overall, it was just a long day that accomplished little and wasted so much gas. The best part was the Mexican lunch at Girbaldi's in Anniston. When I got back to the office, I was only there for a few minutes, but in that few minutes I received an email from the regional office in Hoover. I recently offered to teach a few courses up there if they needed me to, and they scheduled me to teach HALF of their disaster courses for this quarter. I'll enjoy it, but it seems a little sad that Birmingham doesn't have enough instructors and teaches less courses than we do.

I'm so glad I have trivia to look forward to tonight. Today made me realize how on top of things our chapter is compared to others. West Alabama is a lucky service area. Roll Tide.