This visit from Mr. Claus came, not from the North Pole but instead from Central Texas. It came, not by sleigh and eight tiny reindeer but, by 5th wheel trailer and pickup truck. The trailer was loaded to the top with "stuff".

Something new was added to the lawn, next to Galveston EMS' station, known as "The Sub". Within moments of arrival in Galveston, the trailer became the forward operating location for the Volunteer Mobile Emergency Response Unit (VMERU) and Longhorn Student EMS.

Courtesy: NOAA

Hurricane Ike Track

Each day of Christmas week, there were fresh surprises for the EMS crews and their families. From home-style meals of comfort food, to toys for their children and needed equipment and supplies, items were brought out and shared with emergency workers who stayed to serve when Hurricane Ike chased others away. Many had lost their own homes and are rebuilding their lives in between 24-hour shifts taking care of others.

The mission remained fluid, throughout, responding to needs as they were discovered. The needs of the EMS crews seemed greatest. Police and FIre, being older services, appear to have wider "support systems" for their people. VMRU brought toys for for distribution to their families and shared meals with FireFighters at two stations. VMRU worked through local contacts to provide toys to families of Police Officers.

Children, who may have wondered how Santa Claus would find them after Ike destroyed their homes, found out that Sandy Claus knew where thier parent's station was.

Gifts were dontated by a number of people on the "nice" list. From a Houston Girl Scout troop to others all around Central Texas.

Also on the "nice" list were several vendors at this year's state EMS conference, who provided medical equipment and supples, socks, and shirts.

. Gifts and food -- including cookies and Christmas candy piled up, amounting to over 30 boxes of goodies.

Image by William Degnan

CRYSTAL BEACH Fire-Rescue's Station after Hurricane Ike. Note doors and walls blown out by storm surge.

As great as all the "stuff" was, crews seemed to appreciate the chance to tell their own story of how they worked to evacuate Galveston ahead of the storm, their work in the wake of the Hurricane and of their personal material losses to the weather and the looters. They also spoke of the challenges of long transports to mainland hospitals for critically ill or injured patients with the closing of UTMB Galveston's Emergency Department.

We saw many sad, tired, hollow eyes. And we saw warm smiles and heart-felt tears. We felt warm, deep hugs.

"This is for us? Nobody ever does anything for us."

Volunteer Mobile Emergency Response Unit is a not-for-profit trust, dedicated to the well being of community first responders. Its day-to-day mission includes providing emergency scene care for responders in six counties of Central Texas. Its web site is http://www.rehabsector.org .

Longhorn Student EMS is an agency of Student Government at The University of Texas at Austin. Its web site is http://www.lhsems.org .