American Red Cross California Gold Country Region

Shelter Resident Gets More Than A Cot

When the wildfire raced through Paradise, California, Maureen Curtis had only a few minutes to flee her home with what few possessions she could grab and her two dogs, Buddy and Sparky.

She was awakened by the sound of electrical transformers exploding from the fire and her peaceful life in the mountain town quickly ended.

Maureen set out on foot with her two dogs and was picked up and driven to safety having only the clothes on her back and wondering what to do next.

For Maureen, what was next was the Red Cross shelter in Chico where volunteers welcomed her and her dogs with open arms. For the first time since the fire destroyed her home, Maureen felt safe and comfortable and grateful for the kinds words and hugs from the volunteers staffing the shelter.

Shelter Resident Gets More Than A Cot1 — Chico, California, November 13, 2018: Maureen Curtis plays with her two dogs, Sparky and Buddy, at a Red Cross shelter in Chico after a massive wildfire destroyed her home and most of her hometown of Paradise. Photo credit: Carl Manning, American Red Cross

“The Red Cross has been wonderful to me. I have received everything that I need every day,” she said, sitting on her cot playing with Buddy and Sparky. “Everyone has treated me with kindness and that means the world to me.”

Maureen is among some 200 people in the shelter where they get more than a cot and blanket.

Shelter Resident Gets More Than A Cot2 — A Red Cross volunteer talks to Maureen Curtis who is at a Red Cross shelter in Chico, California with her two dogs after a massive wildfire swept through her hometown of Paradise, destroying her home along with hundreds of others. Photo credit: Carl Manning, American Red Cross

In Maureen’s case, the Red Cross has made sure she has received all her medications from the health services volunteers at the shelter, many of whom are nurses or paramedics.

Additionally, for shelter residents, there are spiritual care and mental health counselors available to talk to the residents. A place to charge cell phones also is available for those trying to call friends and family.

Walking through the shelter entrance everyone is greeted by Red Cross volunteers. A volunteer registers each person, asking if there are any immediate needs such as a medical issue, injury or dietary concerns.

A cot is provided each resident along with blankets and pillow. A volunteer will next conduct a shelter tour, explain meals times and go over shelter general rules. Ideally, the shelter supervisor will conduct a meeting each evening to provide updates and discuss any changes or new information to shelter residents.

Over the course of a few days, strangers become friends and often the Red Cross volunteers and residents become like a family.

The residents share their stories of loss and the volunteers take the time to listen and offer hope and comfort. It’s a moving experience for all.

“It will rip the heart right out of you when you hear of their suffering and loss. But that’s why we’re here, to help those in need,” said shelter volunteer Mike Woods.

Written by Pamela Harris, American Red Cross volunteer

Thank you to our Supporters

Since the Camp Fire, the most destructive and deadliest wildfire in California history, began on Thursday, November 8th, Red Cross volunteers along with community partners have been working around the clock to make sure evacuated families are safe and comfortable.

We are forever grateful for everyone who has donated and those who continue to donate to support Red Cross relief efforts for the California Wildfires. These donations will help provide crucial services to those affected. We want to recognize the following corporate partners for their significant financial support:

Alfred Mathews Cadillac
AT&T
Bell Brothers
Blue Diamond Growers
Chase Chevrolet
DH Construction
Genovese Burford & Brothers
Golden 1 Credit Union
Kaiser Permanente
Markstein Beverage Company
Nugget Markets
Rabobank
Roseville Automall
Sacramento Kings
Sutter Health
Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuks, Black Oak Casino Resort
Wells Fargo

Thanks to all our donors, we were able to mobilize immediately and work with our remarkable partners to provide safe refuge, meals, health services, spiritual care and comfort to our fellow Californians. Our response continues. Learn more, and see how you can help: https://rdcrss.org/2yZaQ1K

Getting to “Yes!”

When Joanne Alvis arrived at the Red Cross shelter located at the Butte County Fairgrounds, she had the clothes on her back and was understandably distraught. Alvis, a longtime resident of Paradise, had barely escaped with her life from the deadliest wildfire in California history.

She had found safety for a few days in a local hotel but the manager wanted her out, thinking she wouldn’t be able to pay her bill. She sought help at the shelter and was then invited to register on the Red Cross Safe and Well website.

It was after Alvis registered on the site that Red Cross volunteer Susan Park noticed Alvis becoming more upset and agitated. Park’s five years as a Red Cross caseworker and experience as a Disaster Action Team (DAT) Lead kicked in.

She asked questions and thought about solutions. “I then realized that Ms. Alvis had no phone. As I probed further, asking if she had contacted her insurance company, she started to weep.”

Alvis said that she didn’t know what she was going to do and didn’t know where to start. She had no phone and felt lost.

That’s when Park took action. “As I reached for a box of tissues for her, I decided that she should use my phone.” That decision may raise some eyebrows, but to Park, this was a must.

As Park explained, “There was no way anything was going to happen without a phone for her, and I remembered our saying in the Red Cross about working to “get to yes.”

Little did Park realize that this simple act of kindness would transform Alvis’ world. Within hours Alvis had a conversation with her insurance company that provided her with a week and a half at a hotel and thus bringing her much needed peace and relief.

Park beamed with contentment. “That move to ‘yes’ makes me feel so good. I could see how that small act made a big difference in someone’s life,” she said. “It brought this one person from disaster relief to the first steps in disaster recovery.”

As Park turned to greet the next person entering the shelter, she smiled, “I really love volunteering for the Red Cross.”

Photo and story by Michele Maki, Red Cross volunteer

Lunch Is Served at the Oroville Red Cross Shelter

4G Foundation, a local charitable group, coordinated lunch for 300 people at the Red Cross shelter in Oroville today. Early this morning volunteers fired up the barbecue and pizza ovens and began cutting, spicing, and organizing for the lunchtime crowd. People at the shelter appreciated the lunch of barbecued tri-tip sandwiches and pizza made hot and fresh onsite.

Charvis Franklin, a volunteer with 4G, said they served dinner to 300 people at the Red Cross shelter in Gridley the night before and have volunteers there prepping the grill for dinner tonight. Charvis said the group is prepared to handle meals at various locations throughout the duration of the fire danger.

4G Foundation is funded primarily through community donations and staffed by volunteers like Charvis. He says he’s amazed at how the community comes together and he’s happy that the 4G Foundation could help make life a little easier for people at the shelter.

Groups like 4G Foundation provide the Red Cross the support we need at shelters to ensure people are safe and comfortable. We thank them for partnering with us to support evacuees of the Camp Fire.

If you would like to support the American Red Cross response to the California wildfires or sign up to volunteer, visit redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

Story written by Marlene Stamper

Finding Comfort After Tragedy

It has been an incredibly trying 72 hours for Bonnie Flores, some of the most difficult moments of her life.

“After what happened to me, I never thought I’d laugh again,” she said sitting in a chair near the entrance of an American Red Cross wildfire evacuation center. “But here at this shelter, everyone gives so much love. I’m smiling all the time.”

Three days earlier, Flores received an urgent notice by phone from emergency officials to evacuate her Paradise, CA home immediately due to the imminent danger caused by approaching wildfires. With only time to grab a few personal items and some medications, the 80-year old jumped in her car and drove away.

Surrounded by smoke and fire, she made her way, slowly, through the narrow roads, following thousands of her neighbors fleeing the flames as well.

“I saw a tree explode in front of me, homes on fire,” she said. “I prayed to God to let me live through this.”

Her perilous evacuation to safety took nearly eight hours and ended after finally descending the mountain and finding a safe place where she could call 911 to access emergency assistance. Hours later she would learn that her house of 30 years was one of the nearly 6,500 homes in Paradise destroyed by the fire.

Thankfully, Flores eventually made her way to a Red Cross shelter where she found some comfort.

“When we walked through these doors, people just surrounded us,” she said. “‘How can we help you? What do you need?’ they said. It meant so much to me.”

Since the wildfire started, more than 175 people like Flores have found refuge at an evacuation center at the Butte County Fairgrounds. There, the Red Cross has provided families with warm meals, water, snacks, emotional support and other services. Many more evacuees have stopped by the center during the day for food, supplies and information.

“They sit you down, they hold your hand, they let you get it out,” said Flores about the volunteers helping her. “And that’s what I needed.”

Time to Evacuate? Be Red Cross Ready

As the Red Cross continues to respond to the Camp Fire disaster in Butte County, we want to make sure you have the items you need close at hand should you have to evacuate.

Preparation is important!

Listen to local area radio stations, watch local TV news, and check your city and county websites for the latest wildfire information. Check every 30 minutes to get the latest weather updates and emergency instructions.

Back your car into the garage or park it in an open space facing your direction of escape.

Arrange for temporary housing at a friend or relative’s home outside the threatened area.

Identify nearby shelter sites and review directions to get there.

Keep your pets in one room so you can find them quickly if you have to evacuate.

Keep your indoor air clean. Close windows and doors to prevent the smoke outside from getting in your home.

Stock up on N-95 air respirator masks to help block smoke particles.

Review the Emergency Kit List below to ensure you have everything you need should you have to evacuate your home in an emergency.

Once you build your emergency kit, it can be helpful to keep it in your car so it’s with you when you evacuate.

Water: one gallon per person, per day (3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for home)
Food: non-perishable, easy-to-prepare items (3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for home).
Flashlight
Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)
Extra batteries
First aid kit
Medications (7-day supply) and medical items
Multi-purpose tool
Sanitation and personal hygiene items
Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)
Cell phone with chargers
Family and emergency contact information
Extra cash
Emergency blanket
Map(s) of the area

Consider the needs of all family members and add supplies to your kit, as needed.

Medical supplies (hearing aids with extra batteries, glasses, contact lenses, syringes, etc.)
Baby supplies (bottles, formula, baby food, diapers)
Games and activities for children
Pet supplies (collar, leash, ID, food, carrier, bowl)
Two-way radios
Extra set of car keys and house keys
Manual can opener

Sunday Camp Fire Shelter Update

Good afternoon, all. Gold Country Communications Director Stephen Walsh writing to you from Bidwell Junior High School in Chico, our newest evacuation shelter for Camp Fire evacuees.

As I type this, Red Cross volunteers are setting up dozens of cots inside the school cafeteria and readying the campus for the arrival of Camp Fire evacuees.

All Red Cross shelters are accepting additional guests except Church of the Nazarene in Oroville. That location is at capacity.

Here is the updated list of our evacuation shelters in Butte County:

Bidwell Junior High School, 2376 North Ave., Chico, CA 95926

Butte County Fairground, 199 East Hazel St., Gridley, CA 95948

Church of the Nazarene, 2238 Monte Vista Ave., Oroville, CA 95966 (FULL)

Neighborhood Church, 2801 Notre Dame Blvd. Chico, CA 95928

Plumas County Fairground, 204 Fairground Rd., Quincy, CA 95971

If you would like to donate to the American Red Cross California Wildfire Relief effort, visit redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

Oroville Scouts Ready to Help Despite Camp Fire Anxieties

Boy Scouts from Troop 29 in Oroville arrived at the Oroville Red Cross shelter Saturday ready to pitch in wherever they could help. The enthusiastic scouts moved supplies to storage areas, sorted donations, picked up litter, even occasionally handled babysitting dogs for people at the shelter.

Drew, one of the scouts, said his home is safe, but others in his troop were not so lucky. One family is unsure of the status of its home and some others are in areas at risk. Drew said that he felt good that all of the people at the shelter were getting the help they needed.

Kullen, another scout from Troop 29, said he had spent many restless nights unsure of where the fire would go. He had worked with his family to pack up all their important and precious processions, just in case. But still he worried that they would not have enough room in their two cars for everything they needed.

Though Kullen had his own worries, he was also very concerned about the people he encountered at the shelter. He overheard conversations. “They could not stop talking about the fire. It was very heartbreaking,” he said.

The Red Cross appreciates the assistance and hard work of Oroville Boy Scout Troop 29 and all of the organizations that support the Red Cross.

If you would like to donate to the American Red Cross California Wildfire Relief effort, go to redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

Butte County Identifies Camp Fire Pickup Location for Donated Items

Butte County has designated The Hope Center, 1950 Kitrick Ave A, Oroville, CA, 95966, as a pickup location for donated items for people affected by the Camp Fire.

Donated items should be dropped off at the Oroville Municipal Auditorium, 1200 Myers Street. Needed items include warm clothes, shoes, paper products (toilet paper, forks, spoons, paper plates, paper towels), and women’s undergarments.

Evacuees in need of supplies can pick up items at the Hope Center.

Saturday’s Camp Fire Shelter Update

This morning’s Red Cross shelter update is coming to you from the Church of the Nazarene in Oroville. First a note of appreciation to The Salvation Army who has been here providing meals to Carr Fire evacuees. They got the morning rolling yet again by serving breakfast items as everyone started the morning watching the local news.

The Red Cross is providing shelter, food, and comfort at four shelters in Butte County. Last night, Red Cross shelters housed about 650 evacuees.

Red Cross Shelter Locations:

Butte County Fairgrounds

199 East Hazel Street

Gridley, CA 95928

Chico Elks Lodge

1705 Manzanita Avenue

Chico, CA 95926

Neighborhood Church

2801 Notre Dame Blvd

Chico, CA 95929

Oroville Nazarene Church

2238 Monte Vista Avenue

Oroville, CA 95966

Red Cross shelters are open to all, regardless of race, creed, religion, or immigration status.

Evacuees are encouraged to register at the Red Cross Safe and Well website so friends and loved ones know you are safe.

Concerned family and friends can search the list of those who have registered themselves as “safe and well” by clicking on the “Search Registrants” button. The results of a successful search will display a loved one’s first name, last name and a brief message.