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A combined 40 years of experience as paramedics could not prepare Pennsylvania Strike Team members Amos P. Cameron and Curt Valdiserri for the devastation they saw in Louisiana for two weeks in October in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

"Let's just say the depictions on television and photographic images do not show the reality," said Cameron, 44, of Leetsdale. "I was standing in deep silt and someone told me I was standing where a family's house used to be."

"You don't realize what you have at home until you see what families endured down there," said Valdiserri, of White Oak, a 42-year-old husband and father of three young daughters.

Cameron, regional operations coordinator for Emergency Medical Service Institute, and Valdiserri, health and safety director for Priority One Emergency Medical Services, will head back to the hurricane-ravaged region on Wednesday and Thursday to speak at the Louisiana Conference on the Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort.

They will be joined by Jason Hayes, station manager of Fayette County Emergency Management Services.

"Louisiana is trying to use our plan as a model for any future natural disasters," Cameron said Friday. "When we arrived, they said we were like a breath of fresh air because we were very structured and able to accomplish things. I worked with command operations and we were able to integrate our team with Louisiana's efficiently."

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives commended Cameron, Valdiserri and Hayes for their "dedication, heroism and selflessness in Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina."

State Rep. James E. Casorio Jr., a Democrat from Westmoreland County, presented the commendations to Cameron and Valdiserri yesterday at his office in North Huntingdon. Hayes was unable to attend.

"These are our local heroes," Casorio said. "They went above and beyond the call of duty."

"There were 26 vehicles and 86 personnel. We saw 2,538 patients and transported many to hospitals, relief shelters and clinics," Cameron said. "We provided medical evaluations, inoculations and assisted patients with prescription medications, crisis intervention, child assistance, family interventions and emotional support."

Valdiserri recalled some of the images forever burned in his mind from the 17-day experience.

Valdiserri described the time he spent with many of the afflicted and his attempts to comfort them.

"The biggest medicine, by far, was to be able to talk to the people. I would play cards with them, talk and color with the children. It was humbling," he said.

One woman's attempt to thank Valdiserri touched him profoundly.

"There was this elderly lady and she told me, 'God bless you,' and insisted I take a blanket. She wanted to give me this blanket, when she had nothing."

The woman's gesture did more for Valdiserri than any material gift could possibly do.

"We helped them, but they definitely gave something back to us."

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