When Red Cross is there, ‘I feel safe,’ says NorCal fire victim

What defines a strong community? Is it resilience in the face of a disaster? Is it the network of donors, volunteers, and advocates that serve our neighbors in need? I would argue that it’s both, and more.

Community strength is found at the crossroads of compassion and action, and that’s where you’ll find the American Red Cross. Every day our local Red Cross volunteers work to build stronger communities here in the Central Valley in the face of adversity, and in many cases, provide relief and comfort to local families that have lost everything.

I saw this work right in our own backyard last July, when our community faced the destructive Detwiler Fire, which destroyed more than 60 homes in Mariposa County. On the first night of the fire, I drove up and visited several shelters we had opened within what felt like mere moments.

I was struck by the calm and expertise exhibited by our volunteers, (some whose own homes were in danger) who were ensuring residents who had been evacuated had a safe place to stay, a warm meal, basic comfort items and hug if needed.

This disaster was devastating, as it would be for any community. But the local Red Cross, along with countless community partners, government agencies, churches, schools, and spontaneous volunteers came together to care for our neighbors in a powerful display of humanity and compassion.

In the first 36 hours of the fire, our local Red Cross responded by opening five shelters and providing safe lodging to hundreds of residents. By the end of the response to the Detwiler Fire, the Red Cross had served nearly 19,000 meals and snacks, provided over 1,100 shelter stays, passed out nearly 15,000 cleanup and comfort items, and met one-on- one with over 170 families to create individualized recovery plans.

The incredible work done by our volunteers during the Detwiler Fire is only a glimpse at the disaster relief work that the Red Cross does every day in our Central Valley community. In addition to major wildfire and flooding relief operations last year, your local Red Cross has provided emergency support to over 400 families affected by home fires.

As hurricanes, floods and wildfires affected so many year, the American Red Cross was there.

Our local chapter has deployed over 160 volunteers to wildfires in California in the last year, and another 20 to Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. Each employee of the Red Cross has his or her steady state or ”blue sky” role, but also a “gray sky” role for times of disaster.

Since last February, I have been deployed to major disasters five times. From the threat at Oroville Dam, to Central Florida ahead of Hurricane Irma, and to Santa Rosa where over 5,600 structures were destroyed by the tragic Tubbs Fire, I have been able to see our impact up close.

I will never forget last October when I met Marianne, a Rincon Valley resident who had immigrated to America from Germany nearly 60 years ago. Marianne had been evacuated from her home of nearly 47 years due to the Tubbs Fire and was staying in the Red Cross shelter at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds.

I met her a few days into her stay with us. Her words, while soft, were full of gratitude. Grateful to be alive, and grateful to the Red Cross for their work.

“Everyone here is so friendly, and most importantly I feel safe,” she said.

In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt first declared the month of March Red Cross Month to raise awareness and support. March has continued to be Proclaimed ‘Red Cross Month’ by each U.S. President since. Each year in March, we ask those in the Central Valley to become a hero by considering becoming a Red Cross volunteer or by making a donation on Giving Day, March 28, to support our local work.

Visit redcross.org/givingday to learn more about volunteering or to help to families in need.

This story was originally published March 19, 2018 at 4:02 AM with the headline "When Red Cross is there, ‘I feel safe,’ says NorCal fire victim."