Day 14: Bon Voyage Motha F*******!!

Disaster Relief Deployment in Florida

I spent the first 12 days working at a shelter with 2-20 people in it, depending on the day. It was at a recreation center in a nice neighborhood. Every night when I came in there were at least a hundred people (mostly kids) filling the basketball courts and/or in line for early voting. We had 24 hour cleaners, a front deck person, and about 5 firefighters that spent the night there every night and were never used (less to turn on and off the lights). Let’s just say, it was calm.

The last client left there Sunday so I was transferred to a different shelter last night. Different, is an understatement.

We currently have 131 people and about 10 dogs & cats staying in a gymnasium. It is in a poorer part of town and consists of a mostly black and hispanic population. This place is gated and locked down after 10 and we have about 12 full-time security guards and 6 nurses at night; all completely utilized.

Everyday there are fights, ambulances, people getting kicked out, then coming back… we have tons of folks with mental illnesses and/or physically disabled… there are tons of kids running around without supervision (though their parents have been warned), DHS calls, police, dogs fights – did I mention there are a bunch of animals? You name it! All the while, the staff here completely changes about every few days.

Last week a man staying here had to leave for 2 days for a funeral. He told the supervisor at the time, who apparently did not pass the information on to his/her replacement so when they saw an empty cot, his bed was put away and his stuff thrown out. Could you imagine staying in a shelter becasue you lost all your crap, going to a funeral and returning to find you lost the rest of what you had? Let’s just say, he was not happy.

It’s a complete shit-show.

For me, that part of it actually keeps things interesting: it’s after ‘lights out‘ that is torture.

An entire gymnasium echoing snores, farts, and barks, while all the staff sit on these POS plastic fold out chairs, trying to sleep with our foreheads on the table for 12 hours.

When I got back to my pod this morning, I passed out at like 8 am, got up to pee at 11am, then fell back to sleep until 5pm. That is more sleep than I think I’ve had in the combined previous 13 days.

I know it could be a lot worse: I could be a client here… but it’s freaking horrible. I feel like I’m paying a penance for something. I am soooo done.

Thank god this is my last night! Only 11 more hours of this plastic chair – just enough to get my back good and f****d up for my 8 hour flight home in the morning. Joy.

Can’t wait to see my baby!!! #Imisshome