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Free Tetanus Shots, Other Aid Offered for Flood Victims in Ohio County

Photo by Scott McCloskey American Red Cross representatives distribute items to people involved in flood cleanup on Edgwood Street in Wheeling.

Wheeling Health Right and the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department are providing free tetanus shots for people involved in cleanup after Sunday’s flash flood, while several agencies are offering other forms of assistance to residents affected by the flooding.

Sharon Kesselring, executive director of the American Red Cross of Northwest West Virginia, said in addition to general flood recovery efforts, her agency also is on standby to provide meals and water for first responders who are conducting the search for Page Gellner, 19, who was swept by rushing floodwater into Wheeling Creek Sunday night. A third full day of searching yielded no results Wednesday. Gellner’s boyfriend, 24-year-old Michael Grow, died after being pulled from the high water by rescuers.

Meanwhile, Howard Gamble, administrator of the health department, said free tetanus shots are being made available as part of the public health disaster response. Gamble said anyone who needs a tetanus shot or booster shot can receive it at the health department between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The department is located on the first floor of the City-County Building, 1500 Chapline St.

Tetanus shots also are being administered at Health Right’s office at 61 29th St. during normal hours of operation. The free clinic is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Appointments aren’t necessary at either site.

Kathie Brown, executive director of Wheeling Health Right, said, “We’re just doing it as a community service for people who are struggling through this whole flood mess and/or helping to clean up. There are no requirements to be Health Right-eligible.”

Brown said, “They (flood survivors) have so many other things on their plate. They don’t need to worry about where to go or how much it is going to cost. We need to help the community out at this point.”

The tetanus-diphtheria vaccine is needed by people who lack a complete primary series of the vaccines, have not had a booster of the vaccine in the past 10 years; or who have a more severe or dirty wound if more than five years have elapsed since their last booster.

Gamble added, “People should really try to remember when (their) last vaccination was.”

Tetanus, also known as lockjaw, is a disease of the nerves caused by bacteria in a contaminated wound. The tetanus bacteria is commonly found in soil.

“It enters the body through any opening, from a slight scratch to a severe wound,” Gamble said. “It can cause painful spasms of all muscles, convulsions and even death.”

During flood cleanup, “people are working with shovels, grabbing things out of basements, grabbing twigs and branches, and there is more opportunity to get cut. Tetanus becomes more of a priority,” he said.

Kesselring said Red Cross personnel and volunteers are visiting residents in the flooded areas to conduct a damage assessment. A Red Cross emergency response vehicle from Wood County is providing cleanup kits, hand sanitizer, bottled water and snacks.

The Red Cross is partnering with West Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster for flood response in Wheeling. Kesselring said, “A lot of different agencies are working to make sure people are brought into recovery mode as quickly as possible.”

She said, “We are a member of the state VOAD. The local VOAD reached out to us here. We were able to communicate by phone to make sure everything was covered. Each agency has their own ability to assist. We have our mission, they have their mission.”

Sherri Schafer, executive director of Community Lutheran Partners, which is a member of VOAD, said the groups are coordinating a volunteer effort to assist flood victims. “There’s going to be a team in here called ‘Team Rubicon,’ and they’re going to be going door-to-door in all the flood-affected areas doing assessments for us,” she said.

Schafer said the volunteers will wear identifiable clothing. After the assessment phase, the groups will be able to bring in more teams to assist with the ongoing cleanup effort.

“I have cleaning supplies that I deliver and we are getting garden lime, which we put down on all the yards,” Schafer added.

For the Red Cross response, Kesselring said, “We’ve been working very closely with the county emergency management to identify areas most affected. We’ve also worked with VOAD with specific residences where floodwater came up into their living areas. … When it gets into a living area, our assistance becomes a little more broader.”

As of Wednesday, the Red Cross has opened 10 cases for individuals who may qualify for additional assistance, she said.

“We were really fortunate here that it was basement flooding. It did not compromise people’s ability to live in their homes,” Kesselring said. “We didn’t have to open shelters. People were not evacuated. The cleanup was the hard part.

“We think we’ve covered most of the affected area,” she added. Anyone who still needs assistance can call the Red Cross office in Wheeling at 304-232-0711.

Staff Writer Scott McCloskey contributed to this report.

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