The United States Department of Labor (USDOL) has awarded WorkForce West Virginia (WFWV) $975,000.00 in lieu of the FEMA Declaration DR-4455 for disaster relief employment in the following Counties: Grant, Pendleton, Preston, Tucker and Randolph. Human Resource Development Foundation, Inc. (HRDF) was selected as the Project Operator for this grant. HRDF has effectively operated Severe Storm grants for over six years. This grant provides temporary workers employment for disaster clean-up activities. Severe Storm temporary workers provide disaster clean-up activities including removal of debris and blockages from waterways to mitigate potential health hazards caused by flooding and to prevent future flooding within the FEMA declared counties of Grant, Preston, Randolph, Tucker and Pendleton. These workers also provide cleanup and remove debris and remediate flood damage identified as Public Parks to improve visual attractiveness and to make the parks safe for public use.
All temporary workers are determined eligible through WorkForce West Virginia One-Stop Centers. Duration of employment is a maximum of twelve months, with a minimum salary of $10 per hour. Each temporary worker becomes OSHA-10 certified, CPR/First Aid certified, and extensive chainsaw operating skills. Personal safety and other work-related equipment, such as work gloves, steel-toed boots, hard hats, uniforms, small tools, etc., required for the temporary disaster relief worker participating in clean-up activities are provided through the grant.
The Tucker County crew currently has 10 members, including the site supervisor. This crew is currently working in the Charlie Moore Road and Horseshoe Run areas. The Tucker County crew also collaborated with the City of Parsons to remove debris.
For those interested in becoming a crew member, or for employers that need full-time employees which our temporary workers may qualify for, contact Debbie Anderson, Program Coordinator, at 304-591-2494 or at danderson@hrdfwv.org
