Month: September 2022

By Alicia Dorr

“We’re grateful the Red Cross is here.”

The Mosquito Wildfire was first detected more than three weeks ago, but residents near it are still reeling from its destruction. As Red Cross volunteers go into the communities to help families get back on their feet, fire information officers Kimberly Peterson and Andrew Dowd are also in the community working to educate residents about wildfires.

“This is such a great classroom for talking about wildfire,” Andrew says.

The Red Cross partners closely with local officials to help communities get on the road to recovery – but also to help educate on how to protect your family should a fire spark again. For the Red Cross, this means offering hope for the future through immediate assistance or resources like our Emergency Preparedness App. Kimberly says hope is what they want to share, too.

“Life is still here,” Kimberly says. “In those areas where the fire cleared up the forest floor, new growth will come back – not all is lost.”

Kimberly and Red Cross disaster job director Betsy Witthohn discussed ways buildings can be protected, from prescribed burns by local fire departments to ensuring low brush is cleared out around your home. Kimberly also shared that the red fire retardant used to push back fires has ammonium nitrate in it.

“It actually puts nutrients back in the soil,” she explains.

Red Cross volunteers go into the communities affected by the Mosquito Fire doing everything from handing out clean-up kits to connecting people with long-term resources, and they interact regularly with local officials who are also the boots on the ground. Kimberly says it does not go unnoticed.

“We’re grateful the Red Cross is here,” she says.

To find out more about how you can prepare your family for disasters, or to find out how you can donate or volunteer, call 1-800-RED CROSS or visit redcross.org.

By Alicia Dorr

Evelyn McMahon has always been a connector. She likes helping people gain access to resources, to provide them with support, to listen to them and help them navigate barriers so that they can live healthier, happier lives. That’s why she says she loves serving as a Community Engagement and Partnerships (CEP) volunteer. Evelyn has taken on this role as a part of the response to the Mosquito fire and the Mill fire in Northern California.

“It is very gratifying work,” Evelyn says. “When you connect a person who has a need to something that will make a difference – it’s just wonderful.”

As a CEP volunteer, Evelyn is constantly interacting with community organizations, businesses, churches, local authorities and more to ensure residents affected by the wildfires get everything they need to get back on their feet. She IDs all of the resources in the community and gives that information and help to residents who may not have known what was available to them.

“We help agencies and partners in the community understand what people need, too. We thank them for the support and help them understand the extent of the need so we can coordinate,” Evelyn explains.

This was especially important in the case of the Mill fire. Evelyn says she feels really privileged to have worked with in Weed, California. Within the town is an area called Lincoln Heights, a historically black community settled by black lumber mill workers in the 1920s. The Mill fire is believed to have sparked near the Roseburg Forest Products lumber mill, just down the road from Lincoln Heights, where the quick-moving flames destroyed or damaged a significant number of homes. Evelyn says despite the devastation, the community is incredibly resilient.

“They want to move back. When you look in their faces, you see hope,” Evelyn says. “So we’re going to do what we have to do to get them what they need.”

She and other Red Crossers gathered information about all of the affected families and learned what was lost and what benefits were available. Evelyn worked with local officials, agencies, churches, community centers and more to connect them to everything from replacing lost medical supplies to options for long-term shelter.

Evelyn is passionate about the work because she says she sees the difference it makes, every day. Whether she’s working to help people after a disaster like a wildfire or she is in her home state of North Carolina doing day to day connection to resources after home fires, she says volunteering with the Red Cross is definitely worth it – and she recommends it to anyone.

“If you like helping people even a little bit, you will love being a volunteer for Red Cross.”

To find out more about the Red Cross mission and what volunteer roles might interest you visit redcross.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

By Alicia Dorr

“The Red Cross volunteers fly in from all over, give up their time – I didn’t know that. They go above and beyond,” Marco says. “It’s a lousy situation, but they are the best of it.”

Marco, known as Marco in the Morning, is a local radio host in one of the evacuation areas in El Dorado county. He hasn’t been home for nearly two weeks, but he was able to go home as evacuation orders were lifted. He says he is impressed by the American Red Cross volunteers who have been helping others during this trying time.

“The Red Cross volunteers fly in from all over, give up their time – I didn’t know that. They go above and beyond,” Marco says. “It’s a lousy situation, but they are the best of it.”

Red Cross shelters in response to the Mosquito Fire have closed, and all of the affected residents have been connected with long-term lodging solutions. While evacuation orders have been lifted, the Red Cross response doesn’t just end. Our volunteers are out in the communities handing out supplies, snacks, cleaning kits, and providing services for anyone affected as they work to get back on their feet.

You can help people affected by disasters like fires and countless other crises by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift is a commitment to helping people in need, and every single donation matters. Call 1-800-RED CROSS to find out more today.

By Alicia Dorr

During the Mosquito Fire, Glenn Lodwig, Jr. stayed at the Red Cross shelter at Sierra College in Rocklin for more than 11 days and says he is thankful for the support.

“It’s been charitable and kind.”

But – as the saying goes, “There’s no place like home,” Glenn says.

Glenn says if he had to pay for shelter at a hotel he would have been out of money in just days, but the Red Cross shelter at Sierra College allowed him to continue his life until the evacuation order lifts.

“Everything went smooth. There were meals, coffee – I could take a shower and get to work every day,” Glenn says.

As Glenn and others like him transition back to home, it is vital to remember that the Red Cross is there for you every day for every disaster – large or small.

We will be with these evacuees as they make their way back, but easiest way to help people like those affected by the wildfires in California is simply to give a donation. Call 1-800-RED-CROSS to find out more.

By Debbie Imlay, Volunteer

In the first week of September, Derek Jones was forced to evacuate from his mobile home in Foresthill with his two dogs, Nelson and Roscoe.

His neighborhood was under a mandatory evacuation order due to the Mosquito Fire. He was among dozens of people at the Red Cross shelter at Sierra College in Rocklin, Calif.

“I was so scared and in tears,” Jones said. “One of my neighbors came up and handed
me the key to one of his spare vehicles and said, ‘Get your dogs and your stuff and get off the hill.’”

Jones said the most important thing for him was to make sure his two dogs were safe. He evacuated from Foresthill wearing only the clothes on his back. But he said the generosity of community donations, either directly or through non-profit agencies, has been a blessing.

As one of many evacuees who chose to stay outside the Sierra College shelter with his pets, Jones gave thanks to the citizens of Rocklin for their generosity and compassion toward the shelter guests who camped outside.

“Now I’ve got about 10 outfits, all the supplies, all the dog food, cases of water, air
mattress,” Jones said.

You can support Red Cross disaster relief by making a financial donation at redcross.org/donate or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS.

By Marcia Antipa

Help is on the way for people whose lives have been affected by the recent Siskiyou County Mill Fire.  County officials opened a Local Assistance Center (LAC) at the Weed Community Center, 161 East Lincoln Avenue in Weed, CA.

The center is a one-stop opportunity for people to find assistance on their road to recovery.  County and state government services, nonprofit groups, churches, animal assistance groups and many more services providers are on hand, all under one roof at the community center.

For example, people affected by the fires can get a temporary driver’s license from the California Department of Motor Vehicles,  vouchers for free eye exams and replacement eyeglasses lost in the fire, immunizations from County Health and Human Services, and much more. 

American Red Cross volunteers will also be on hand to provide fire clean-up kits and other resources.  

The Local Assistance Center opened Friday, September 9, and will remain open until Sunday, September 11. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.