In the wake of the LA fires, many residents whose homes survived the fires are facing a new problem. They are having difficulty in getting their homes cleaned inside. Hope Crisis Response Network in cooperation with a grant from the American Red Cross are bridging that gap for local residents. HCRN is coordinating volunteer teams to clean inside homes, providing smoke remediation. This service is provided without a charge for households whose insurance is not covering the cost of clean up or is not adequate for the cost of clean up. This work was made possible by a Long-Term Recovery grant from the American Red Cross.
On a recent volunteer day, Red Cross staff members joined HCRN at a work site. They donned the Tyvek suits and masks and worked to clean a home for an 81-year-old woman whose insurance would not pay for remediation. Teams worked throughout the house to wash down walls and hard surfaces, scrub the bathrooms, wash dishes and clean out the refrigerator. Roxy had been displaced from her home for six weeks due to the fire. On one side, the fire took out trees and shrubbery right up to the house. On the other side, a mudslide caused by heavy rains after the fire, swept by the house, dumping up to six inches of mud around the house and driveway.
She was without electricity for three months, but now has a generator provided by Edison Power. Power has been restored to her area, but the fire took out the Edison pole that connects to her home. It could be months before that is replaced.
Jillian Robertson, senior manager for long term recovery communications for the Red Cross, said that the Red Cross provides funding for partners like HCRN who have the expertise, the volunteer base and the equipment to do this kind of work. This project included work inside and out and took a large team of people to accomplish.
Robertson said, “Working in long term recovery, we couldn’t do what we do without our partners. We are really proud to be able to fund programs like this and provide support to partners that have amazing expertise like Hope Crisis Response Network. The ability to rally people, the physical expertise with the tools and construction and repair…and we’re able to support that thanks to the generosity of the American people and our donors to support that mission.”
And the homeowner, at the end of the day, Roxy spoke to the group of volunteers. Holding back tears, she said she was so grateful for all the work they had done. She said, “I felt so alone with all of this and you have given me hope. I’m especially grateful to have met Kevin…. Kevin from heaven.”
If you would like to be part of this recovery visit our volunteer page or donate here
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