Ten years ago on Friday, Connecticut relief crews were packing up to respond to Hurricane Katrina, and many of them are now looking back at the storm that forever changed their lives.

Lucian Terranova, of Milford, ran operations at the Houston Astrodome stadium, to which the Army bused 27,000 scared and starving evacuees after the storm devastated New Orleans.

At the time, Terranova was just a rookie Red Cross worker. "I said, 'You do realize this is my first disaster outside my state of Connecticut,'" he says. "And the lady who came from national said, 'I understand, but somebody has to be in charge.'"

He says that there were times when violence broke out at the stadium, which is why security personnel was needed to keep the peace.

Terranova says it was rewarding to have families he helped tell him that they appreciated his care.

Terranova says the Red Cross now mobilizes more security and volunteers to handle disasters. It also opens shelters for pets, too.