St. Charles County Department of Community
Health & The Environment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 2, 2005

CONTACT:
Rod Zerr, St. Charles County Director Of Emergency Management                                                                      636-949-7407

Three St. Charles County Employess Deploy to Join Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort

St. Charles County - In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, three St. Charles County employees are putting their everyday lives on hold to volunteer in the Gulf Coast region. Eugene (Gene) Schwendemann is an Emergency Management Officer, for the St. Charles County Division of Emergency Management and have been deployed by FEMA for approximately two weeks. Theresa Williams, the Director of the Division of Humane Services for St. Charles County and Teresa Gilley, an employee at the St. Charles County Pet Adoption Center are volunteering with Noah's Wish. Noah’s Wish is an all volunteer National Animal Rescue Organization which responds to any disaster where animals have been affected. 

On Monday, August 29th, at the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Schwendemann reported to Atlanta, GA, as a FEMA Disaster Assistance worker. After deployment to impacted areas along the Gulf Coast, Schwendemann will be conducting preliminary community assessments and providing disaster victims with information on enlistment with FEMA for individual assistance as part of a federal disaster declaration.

Schwendemann has been in the position of Emergency Management Officer with the Division of Emergency Management since 1994. He holds Professional Development Series, (PDS), and Advanced Professional Development Series, (APDS) Certificates from the FEMA Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, MD, and is a certified instructor of the FEMA Community Emergency Response Team, (CERT) Program, and the ODP Weapons of Mass Destruction Awareness Program. He is also certified by the Missouri Division of Fire Safety to the Hazmat Operations Level.

Williams and Gilley will be joining the Noah’s Wish volunteer group and setting up base in Slidell, Louisiana, just east of New Orleans. Williams and Gilley have experience in caring for various animal species, as well as large numbers of animals, which makes their service especially valuable. The group will set up temporary shelters, conduct search and rescue efforts to find trapped, stray or animals left behind and care for them until they can be reunited with their owners or foster homes can be located.

- ### -

[GO BACK]