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.
Glenn Lodwig, Jr. expressed his appreciation for the Red Cross during the Mosquito Fire evacuations.
“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.
Robert Albonico (Sacramento), Russel Scot Rhoda (Cleveland, OH) and Kayla Shults (Southern Illinois) working Registration at Sierra College Rocklin Shelter Registration CollegeKaren Cendro, Rotary District Governor (center) with the Salvation Army Food Service at Sierra College shelter in Rocklin, CASalvation Army volunteers in front of their food truck at Sierra College talking with a representative from the Placer County Food BankRay Tsang, a sheltering volunteer from Alaska, hangs a new sign to notify shelter guests of showers at Sierra College in Rocklin, CA
Derek Jones’ dogs, Nelson and Roscoe, rest in the parking lot of the Red Cross shelter at Sierra College in Rocklin, Calif.
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.
Mosquito Fire evacuee Derek Jones took refuge at the Red Cross shelter in Rocklin, Calif. with his two dogs.
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.
Eric and Yvette Hoy’s family has farmed in Siskiyou County on the same piece of property for five generations. Now the farm’s future legacy is at risk, after the Mill Fire swept through earlier this month, destroying the family’s home, barn and grazing lands.
“It’s all I’ve ever done. It’s all I’ve ever known,” said Eric.
The Mill Fire destroyed the Hoy family’s barn, home and grazing lands. Their 400 head of cattle survived.
On September 9, Red Cross Volunteers helped Eric and his wife, Yvette, take their first steps toward recovery, at the Local Assistance Center in Weed.
The Red Cross joined dozens of county agencies and nonprofit organizations in offering help to people who survived the wildfire. For example, the California Department of Motor Vehicles provided temporary driver’s licenses, and county health workers gave out tetanus shots and other immunizations. Families also were able to pick up food boxes and other supplies.
Red Cross caseworkers documented the losses these people suffered, and in some cases, offering financial assistance. Other Red Crossers handed out cleanup kits, rakes, shovels and other supplies to help families whose homes were left in rubble.
Eric and Yvette were still reeling from the fire, staying in a hotel and trying to plan their next moves. For now, they are grateful that they and their little dog, Lincoln. Their 400 head of cattle were able to survive the fire also.
The Hoy family’s 400 head of cattle after the Mill Fire swept through their property.
If you would like to support Red Cross disaster relief, consider a financial donation by visiting redcross.org/donate or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS.
Isabella Stigen and her boyfriend were camping in Dru Barner Campground near Georgetown, Calif., when they received the notice to evacuate due to the Mosquito Fire. Thankfully, she says, they were in a box truck they had recently bought so they could safely bring their dog and new kitten with them for the trip.
Isabella says they were on their way out when they saw a litter of abandoned kittens. As the evacuation order loomed, they tried to help.
“There were three, and the other two just scattered. They seemed strong. But this one – it was almost like she picked me,” Isabella says.
“There wasn’t enough room for two trucks at our family’s home, so we are just happy we get to be here,” Isabella Stigen says.
Gypsy, as the new kitten is called, is safe with her new family as they wait for evacuation orders to be lifted. They are all staying in the box truck together in the parking lot of the American Red Cross shelter at Sierra Community College in Rocklin where they have access to regular meals, facilities and showers, a mobile laundry service, along with comfort and care from Red Cross volunteers.
“There wasn’t enough room for two trucks at our family’s home, so we are just happy we get to be here,” Isabella said.
Help those affected by wildfires and other disasters across the nation by making a financial donation, big or small, to the Red Cross. For more information on how you can donate call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit redcross.org/donate.
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.
Muriel Harsh has lived in the Northern California community of Lake Shastina for nearly four decades, but only twice has the 95-year-old had to evacuate her home and move into a Red Cross shelter because of a wildfire – last year in July for the Lava Fire and this year for the Mill Fire.
On September 3, Muriel sat in a borrowed wheelchair, wrapped up in Red Cross blankets, and talked about her beloved home she hoped to soon return to.
“I’m anxious to go home,” she said, and was especially worried about her elderly cat she’d left behind with food and water because it was too old to travel.
Muriel said she has views of Mt. Shasta from windows in her home and until recently loved to get out and hike in the area.
Muriel’s son Sonny, who lives with her in Lake Shastina, said he got a warning that an evacuation was imminent on his cell phone on Friday soon after the fast-moving fire started. Not much later, a sheriff’s deputy knocked on their door and told them to go.
Sonny took a suitcase he had packed for a weekend visit with a friend, but Muriel left with only the clothes she was wearing. They spent one night in a motel before moving to the Red Cross shelter opened at the Karuk Wellness Center in Yreka. When they got there Red Cross nurses loaned Muriel a wheelchair to use.
Both said the Red Cross has been taking good care of them while the await word on the fate of their home.
It was all hands on deck for firefighters in Humboldt and Trinity counties over the weekend.
Twelve fires began Friday, August 5, sparked by thunderstorms that moved across the region. Due to efforts of firefighters, eight fires remained active, earning the name Six Rivers Lightning Complex.
(When there are two or more wildfires burning close together in the same area, they are often called a complex and attacked by firefighters under a unified command).
Firefighters from hundreds of miles around rolled into the region to help fight the fires. Among them were the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians’ Red Hawk Crew of 19 firefighters. The crew from El Dorado County traveled six hours to report for duty.
The 19 firefighters were on the fire line when the fire took an unexpected run and destroyed their two crew transport vehicles. Fortunately, the vehicles were far from the crew and no one was hurt.
Personal items, food, tents, sleeping bags, as well as equipment and gear needed to continue fighting the fire had been in the transport vehicles and were all destroyed.
The crew was left with only the clothes on their backs.
They were in the forest with no transportation out and nowhere to stay.
That night, after walking to a U.S. Forestry Service ranger station, the group could only find lodging an hour away but still had no transportation.
When the American Red Cross was made aware of the firefighters’ situation, they reached out to offer the firefighters a safe place to sleep.
Arrangements were quickly made to transport the group to the Red Cross shelter in Willow Creek.
“I am very proud we were here to be able to assist the firefighters,” said Red Cross shelter manager Angi Irmer. “In a sense, they were also evacuees and lost what personal belongings they had with them. They were so gracious and very thankful for our help.”
Nineteen firefighters who lost equipment and vehicles in the Six Rivers Lightning Complex spent the night at a Red Cross shelter while they waited for transport back home to El Dorado County, Calif.
“The Red Cross really saved our butts and we can’t thank them enough,” said Chris McClendon, Fire Lead of the Red Hawk crew. “We got beds and help as soon as we walked in.
“They set us up in our own little area in a gym and we were able to sleep all night. We were really well taken care of. The next morning, we met some of the evacuees and got to talk to them. They seemed pretty grateful we had traveled so far to help them. That felt pretty good.”
The 19 firefighters were waiting for a bus to take them home to El Dorado County so they could regroup, restock their equipment, replace lost personal items, and get ready to redeploy to the fire, if needed.
With all that happened to them, they’re ready to go back.
“We go to this neck of the woods multiple times a year,” McClendon said, “So we’re ready to help, if needed.”
Bob Dunham and Patty Girdner evacuated from Yreka and got acquainted through their stay at the Red Cross shelter in Weed. Neither had been in a situation of needing to shelter away from home previously, so they had no idea what to expect when they got there.
Bob and Patty both said they have been “blessed and amazed” by the care they have gotten from the Red Cross volunteers.
Bob, who has lived in Siskiyou County for 44 years, was not in an area of town that was under a mandatory evacuation, but the unpredictability of the situation and his health concerns affected by the smoke brought him to the shelter.
While he was at the shelter, Bob’s dog, Scooter, was being cared for at the Rescue Ranch dog shelter. His growing up as a military dependent and going through earthquake drills when he was a kid in Japan and Hawaii taught him to be prepared always to “go on a moment’s notice.”
Patty was in a similar situation as Bob. She said she would love to be a volunteer when she gets back on her feet, health-wise. Patty said she is very grateful for the support she has received at the Red Cross shelter.
“I’ve never seen the over-abundance of giving like this. I want to volunteer and give back.”
Both Patty and Bob repeatedly expressed how much they appreciated having the shelter available. Both could often be seen trying to help out in some way around the shelter.
Bob said, “I’m happy for what little I’ve been able to do around the shelter.”
“We’re all in the same boat. Everybody has come together,” said Patty. “We are all helping each other.”
As Bob and Patty talk about their evacuation experiences, they remain hopeful and eager to get back to their homes. They both noted, “It’s all about perspective,” that “choosing to live in Siskiyou County means choosing to live with the possibility of wildfire.”
Bob said, “Everyone encounters disasters. Each area has its own kind of potential disaster. How you get through it is with the relief from the Red Cross and other organizations – the people showing up just to make donations was unbelievable. To be hands on with the Red Cross…you guys are wonderful.
“It’s the heart and empathy that makes people want to be Red Cross volunteers and do the amazing things you’re doing here.”
You can support Red Cross disaster relief efforts by making a financial donation at redcross.org/donate.
Diedre Cazneaux took it upon herself to run the kitchen at the Red Cross shelter in Siskiyou County.
By Judith Lester, Volunteer
Deidra Cazneaux’s deployment with the California Gold Country Region of the American Red Cross to the McKinney Fire was her first, but it wasn’t obvious.
The McKinney Fire in Siskiyou County displaced some 2,000 residents in late July. That’s when Cazneaux looked straight into the face of the disaster and went right to work.
“I just walked into the shelter kitchen and took over,” she said.
In her days at the shelter, Cazneaux always did her job with a smile, chatting with each evacuee and even advocating for them to ensure partner agencies who provided meals were offering nutritious options.
Shelter manager Bill Hart described Cazneaux, saying, “Deidra is an incredibly positive force in the face of controlled chaos.”
In recognition of her work at the shelter and her positive attitude while on the job, Cazneaux was presented with a Red Cross Disaster Cycle Services challenge coin.
“It’s always been in my heart to serve people,” Cazeneaux said, adding: “It’s an avenue for me to be who God wants me to be.”
Visit redcross.org/volunteer to explore the many opportunities to serve as a Red Cross volunteer.
Gold Country News and Notes 