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He got his opportunity much sooner than he expected. Charley was followed quickly by hurricanes Frances and then Jeanne-this time much closer to home. Both storms struck the east coast of Florida only a month apart. Sacco, who is enrolled in the BBA+ program at the Pines Center in Broward County-one of the areas hit by the storms- put his training to work immediately, assisting the Red Cross with damage assessment and helping people find a place to live right after the disaster. "I was part of a team that decides how to treat people: Do we give them vouchers, do we open a shelter, or put them up in a hotel?" Sacco said. "The Red Cross tries to fill immediate needs, usually for three or four days. Then FEMA and other agencies take over." Sacco also helped staff and supply Red Cross shelters in Broward County during the hurricane. Now he's a member of what the organization calls the DAT (Disaster Action Team). It's a 24-hour, on-call job to respond to events such as a house fire. If called, Sacco will head out to assess the damages, determine if the fire victims can remain in the structure or if they need a hotel room. The Red Cross also provides food vouchers at supermarket chain Publix and a "client assistance card" that enables people to get food and clothing for a few days.
Sheridan helped Sacco pay for his education. He says his courses in the College's BBA+ program have helped him in his career. "The program has helped me learn management styles and understand different people and how they communicate," he said. Sacco plans to continue working for the Red Cross after he graduates. However, his volunteering won't stop there. He has joined the Civil Air Patrol and is learning to fly. He looks forward to a time when he can assist with search and rescue operations, a task often much in demand in South Florida as small boats get in trouble and call for help. What did Sacco learn from his volunteer efforts with the Red Cross? "Never take hurricanes lightly. I saw places where one house would be totally fine and a house next door would be completely destroyed," he said. "Make efforts ahead of time to prepare yourself and your house. And never be afraid to go to a shelter." Good advice.
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It's amazing that Sacco has any time at all to volunteer. In addition to his class work,
he works full time as the marketing manager for Sheridan Health Care. The company, which provides physicians
and other personnel to hospitals in twelve states, is located in Sunrise. Soon, however, he'll be moving into
the operations department that runs the company's core divisions: anesthesiology, neonatology, and ER
services. The new position is a true management job that involves managing the company's physicians and
hospital coordinators in the field. 