Sunday, September 05, 2004

Disaster workers such as Bill and Bonnie Schlicht of Bowling Green were bracing for the worst from Hurricane Frances before it began rolling closer to shore. It was expected that as the winds of the hurricane weakened, the rain might bring the worst damage to Florida residents.

The Schlichts left Bowling Green on Saturday for Atlanta and are among hundreds of disaster workers who will leave Atlanta on Monday or Tuesday to help in what is expected to be widespread damage.

The Schlichts, volunteers for the Red Cross, work in disaster services and human resources, and were expected to be driving an emergency response vehicle that can deliver water and serve more than 750 meals a day.

The Schlichts have responded to tornadoes in Kentucky, flooding and the shuttle disaster in Texas, but this would be the first hurricane in their three years with the Red Cross.

They have only lived in Bowling Green for three years, he having retired from the military and she as a nurse, but much of the last two of those years has been on the road.

Were kind of professional volunteers, Bill Schlicht said. We also build houses for Habitat for Humanity.

He said he expects the first few days will be really tiring, with the mosquitos and the heat being the most trouble.

John Warnhoff, another Red Cross volunteer from Bowling Green, has been in Florida since Hurricane Charley. But Deneen Cooper of the Red Cross said she has not heard from Warnhoff recently and doesnt know if he will remain in the state or go to Atlanta with other disaster workers.

Tony Keithley, area manager for Kentucky Emergency Management in Bowling Green, has been in Tallahassee, Fla., for a few days. Keithley and three other Kentucky emergency workers are in the Florida emergency management offices, according to emergency management dispatch in Frankfort.

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