A Palmerton resident is stepping up to help with disaster recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Idalia’s devastating impact on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Beth Ritter-Guth left Philadelphia today for Tallahassee, where she will get her assignment with the American Red Cross’ Disaster Relief Services.

“I’m doing what they call disaster assessment, which is going through all the properties and assessing the damage,” she said Wednesday.

The data collected during these assessments helps determine the level of support each affected individual or family requires to get back on their feet.

As Hurricane Idalia transitions into a tropical storm, its aftermath continues to wreak havoc across southeastern Georgia. The storm, which initially made landfall as a powerful Category 3 hurricane on Florida’s Gulf Coast, has left devastation in its wake. The storm surge has led to record-high water levels, causing flooding in various areas. By Wednesday night, more than 225,000 people were still without power in Florida.

Guth’s journey began when she decided to volunteer with the Red Cross after witnessing the destruction wrought by Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey.

“I lived in New Jersey at the time and although we were not impacted too bad at our house, everybody around us was just devastated,” she said. “I said if I ever have the opportunity, I would love to work in disaster recovery.”

Though logistical challenges and her busy schedule posed obstacles, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic allowed her to complete essential training online.

Eventually, she obtained certifications in disaster assessment, shelter management, and feeding operations, preparing her for a variety of disaster scenarios.

“I got all of the certifications because I’m very passionate about all disasters, whether it is a fire in town or a Category 4 or 5 Hurricane that decimated populations,” Guth said.

Guth’s only in-person deployment to this point has been to Reading during flash flooding last month and Emmaus for an apartment building fire.

“They were different experiences,” she said. “You want to make sure that you’re always providing hope no matter what you are helping out with. That really is the function of the Red Cross is to provide hope for the next step for recovery. People don’t know what their houses look like. They don’t know if the park they took their children to yesterday is still there today.”

Guth’s involvement with the Red Cross extends beyond physically being on-site. She has also lent her skills virtually, helping with tasks like intake and information gathering during emergencies like the recent wildfires in Maui.

Deploying for disaster relief is no small feat for Guth, who is also the Associate Dean of Online Learning & Educational Technology at Northampton County Community College. Though she has been called to many disasters in the past year including in Maui, San Diego, Canada and Guam, this is the first time her schedule has allowed her to go.

“When you get called up, you literally have an hour to decide, because you’re leaving the next day,” she said. “Our semester started on Monday at the community college. I had to be there for that, but I can go now and I’m very excited to help.”