A resourceful development officer and some swift correspondence across regional Red Cross lines has helped launch the recovery relief process for a Southern California firefighter whose home was destroyed in the Sand Fire.
Occupied with the demands of fighting the blaze, which to date has consumed over 40,000 acres and 18 structures, the firefighter was not able to tap into Red Cross services after he learned of his lost home. He had secured a temporary place to stay, but his departure date from that location was rapidly approaching.
That’s when his childhood friend Laurie Gallo stepped in. Gallo called Kristen Kirkpatrick, Chief Development Officer for the Gold Country Region, with the news of her friend’s unfortunate loss. Knowing the firefighter and his family could need long-term recovery assistance, Kirkpatrick immediately reached out to Los Angeles Region colleague, Davi Weber.
Weber soon zipped a message back to Gold Country that Disaster Case Manager Alex Rose would work to contact the firefighter and open a case file for him right away. With a case established, the firefighter can receive immediate assistance as well as help developing a long-term recovery plan.
Working as one Red Cross, Gold Country and Los Angeles came together to provide essential, timely services for a first responder who put others’ needs before his own. The Red Cross Los Angeles Region has provided shelter, meals, snacks and comfort items to hundreds of evacuees since the Sand Fire began.
To see more photos of the American Red Cross Sand Fire response, please visit here.
Gold Country News and Notes 