By Josh Egbert, American Red Cross of Colorado and Wyoming Public Affairs
Linda Bisset joined the American Red Cross shortly after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Since then, she has deployed 35 times to places like California, Oregon, New York City and most recently to Florida to help those affected by Hurricane Ian.
“It’s a unique privilege to be able to take an Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) from our region to a disaster in another part of the country,” said Linda. “I get to show them what a truly phenomenal region we have.”
Linda says that’s the work she’s most proud of. She currently serves as the Colorado and Wyoming Region’s Emergency Response Vehicle Lead, making sure our specialty vehicles are always Red Cross Ready and that there’s drivers who are well trained, engaged and ready to deploy.
“I’m constantly hearing how well trained our region’s volunteers are,” said Linda. “I’m especially proud of our Colorado & Wyoming Emergency Response Vehicle driver teams. They are the best!”
Linda has also worked on the national level. She served as the National ERV Program Lead from 2017 to 2021, where she helped create the current National Specialty Vehicle Program and national Specialty Vehicle guidance.
“I wrote and produced the current Specialty Vehicle Operations Fundamentals court and the Specialty Vehicle Service Delivery Workshop,” explains Linda. “Along with my husband and another volunteer, we shot and edited the videos for the workshops.”
One trip Linda took with the ERV was to the Crow Reservation in Montana. There she helped deliver food and supplies across the western part of the state. During that trip, she met a young boy in one of the shelters. She spent time with him, making him laugh over and over so he wouldn’t think about being away from his home.
“That small half an hour I spent with him was one of the unforgettable tiny blessings we’re so lucky to experience in our lifetime,” said Linda. “I often think of him and wonder how he’s doing and how old he is now.”
During that deployment, the Crow National also held a small ceremony for the Red Cross workers where they were awarded the Warrior Pin. Linda said it was truly an honor.
Although helping people is generally rewarding, Linda loves being an instructor and helping encourage new volunteers.
“Sometimes there is that one person you have in your class that you recognize as a natural leader or that is just made for the job,” said Linda. “I really hope to leave something more permanent with the Red Cross, something that eventually will be used by the next generation of volunteers.”
If Linda has inspired you to become a volunteer, click here to learn more about opportunities with the Red Cross.