Two weeks ago, Robert Lechtreck was aiding the victims of Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi. Now he’s back coaching the Bakersfield College debate team.
Robert Lechtreck, director of forensics, has been a part of the Bakersfield College adjunct faculty since 1987, yet he has been coaching the BC debate team since 1979.
“I’ve stayed at (BC) for so long because it is a great institution,” said Lechtreck, who has also been part of the Kern County Fire Department for more than 20 years.
Lechtreck was sent to Mississippi on Sept. 3 along with 27 members of the KCFD with a mobile kitchen to help feed rescue workers, police officers, NASA workers and FEMA employees.
“As long as we stayed on our base camp, it didn’t make a difference. Once we stepped out of our base camp, the devastation was indescribable,” said Lechtreck, referring to the damage that Hurricane Katrina unleashed on Mississippi. “It’s hard for people to grasp the concept of a house just being gone.”
Overall, Lechtreck feels that he indirectly helped in the relief efforts by preparing meals for the rescue workers and cleanup crews who were assisting the victims of Katrina.
“Everybody has to play a part in the system for a system to work,” said Lechtreck.
One of the most interesting things in his last mission, according to Lechtreck, was realizing that the firefighters and police officers of the areas devastated by the hurricane were in fact victims themselves.
“I would wonder why the firefighters form Georgia and Virginia were here, then I realized that policemen and firefighters from Mississippi were also victims,” he said.
After Katrina, another concern for Lechtreck and rescue workers was Hurricane Rita. “The mission took a little longer because of Rita’s presence,” he said.
Lechtreck also said that on more than one occasion, the firefighters had to go to shelter to escape the oncoming tornados caused by Katrina.
Lechtreck said he was happy to see relief efforts coming out of BC and encourages people to continue donating and helping in any way they can. “Katrina victims are going to need support for years to come,” Lechtreck said. “Charity starts at home.”
In regard to how well Bakersfield and Kern County is prepared for a natural disaster or a terrorist attack, Lechtreck said, “KC is pro-active in preparing for disasters, and the response team is well prepared.”
Communication professor Michael Korcok is also a coach for the BC debate team and said the following on Lechtreck’s impact with the team. “It [debate team] has been spectacularly successful.”
Korcok also added that Lechtreck is a great cook and very involved with the community and the debate team.
Jorge Mujica, a member of the debate team, agrees with Korcok and referred to Lechtrek as the “good cop.” He also added that Lechtreck and Korcok are great debate coaches and “the debate team is very lucky to have them both.”