Over the last three days, I've had the privilege of taking L212, Unified Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Programs, a FEMA course taught by Gopal Raja and Cassandra Sanderson.
Besides the obvious benefit of learning the ins and outs of FEMA grant-writing, I was impressed with the depth of knowledge and professionalism of my classmates. However, I was truly impressed with the instructors. Raj was obviously well-versed on the subject matter. He hails from Virginia, and while his Indian heritage was apparent, it had no affect on instruction. He was clever, funny, engaging, and I could tell he was very earnest about his job. Cassandra is from Kentucky, which we didn't hold against her too much. She was over six months pregnant, but was also knowledgeable and engaging.
She and Raj did a great job with herding the cats that are a group of professionals sitting together for three days, wading through some material that ranged from extremely interesting to as dull as watching paint dry. At the end of the three days, they had done what good teachers do: they took the knowledge they had and provided it to us in an understandable format.
Looking around the room today as Cassandra was teaching, I looked around at my classmates. I was awed by the fact that everyone in the room was there to better protect people. I was among Sheepdogs. The course is designed to teach people how to create successful grant applications that will provide federal money to prevent disasters. Lawrence Timperman is an architect from New Albany who is trying to get more safe rooms in schools to protect kids from tornadoes. David Ballew is a Flood Plain Manager and a Building Inspector from Evansville who is trying to get money to help protect people from the flooding that occurs regularly in and around Evansville.
And giving them all the help they could give was Raj and Cassandra. They travel around the country, spending time away from their families, to fulfill their calling. Training Sheepdogs to be better Sheepdogs. Those who are Sheepdogs are to be emulated and honored. There is no higher calling than to serve and protect others. Making that possible is a step above that.
Thanks Cassandra and Raj.
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