Et cetera : AmeriCorps NCCC-FEMA Corps Team Spruce 3 serving in Colorado

By Chrissy Diers

On October 2 AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps Team Spruce 3 from Vinton, Iowa rolled into Lakewood Colorado to their lodging. On October 3, this Federal Disaster Recovery Coordination Task Force (FDRC) team was to start their service work at the Joint Field Office (JFO) in Centennial, Colorado.

As an FDRC Task Force team it is the responsibility of Spruce 3 to hold multiple positions throughout the JFO. With 10 people on the team Spruce 3 has several members spanning the four floors of the Joint Field Office ranging from planning, recovery coordination, media specialist, reports both public and congressional, all the way to internal affairs. The team has been serving roughly 11 hours a day 5-6 days a week depending on their tasks. Serving behind the scenes, each member is eager to assist with any project brought before them.

On Saturday November 9 and Saturday November 16 the team is participating in their first ISPs (independent service projects)! The team is serving with All Hand Volunteers from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on both Saturdays. The All Hands volunteers are primarily focused on the counties of Larimer and Weld located in north-central Colorado; tasks include mucking, gutting, clearing debris and salvaging belongings from houses. The jobs won’t be glorious and the team plans on coming home worn out but satisfied with helping out their fellow Americans and feeling like they are getting things done.