It’s been heartbreaking that for the second summer in a row, we have watched helplessly as fire destroys homes and acres. Last year The Waldo Canyon Fire, that started on June 23, 2012 and was declared 100% contained on July 10, 2012, destroyed 346 homes and was the most destructive fire in Colorado state history, until the Black Forest Fire that as of this morning, is 30% contained. Sadly, just as in last year’s fire, two lives have been lost in this year’s fire. Currently, the Black Forest Fire has completely destroyed 473 homes and burned 15,500 acres.
At one point, there were over 38,000 people who had been evacuated as the Black Forest Fire raged. There were many people at work or away from their homes when the fire started who weren’t able to get back in their house to rescue pets and animals or grab any personal items, literally only having the clothes on their back.
With a 30% containment and unpredictable weather and winds, we know that it’s far from over as the Black Forest Fire continues to burn. Some have been allowed back into their homes but there’s still tens of thousands of our fellow citizens who are still unable to go back home and are staying in shelters, friend or family homes, hotels and in some cases, with strangers who have opened their own homes.
Unfortunately, we’ve already seen how there are some, who heartlessly take advantage of disasters like this. who will prey on others with scams and in some cases, breaking into the evacuated homes or breaking into cars, to take advantage. I personally think anyone who does this should, if caught, be punished doubly so. I actually think they should be punished in other ways too but I won’t go there!
Aside from a very few though, what we witnessed last year and are seeing again this year, is that when others are in need, we can rally together and meet those needs. We see the goodness in people who rise to the occasion to do anything and everything they can possibly do to help, regardless of political or religious affiliations. We see others who, regardless of their own financial situation, dig deep to contribute $10 or pack up a few of their own clothes or household goods to give to those in need. Tragedies like this can help prompt us out of our own personal little bubbles to think not of our own situations, but to think of others.
There have been accounts of how neighbors rescued neighbor’s pets, even breaking down fences, to scoop up a pet that the owner couldn’t get back to save. We have strangers coming from out-of-state with trailers to help round-up larger animals that had to be left behind. Donations of food, drinks, clothes and money have been pouring in. This is heartening and for some odd reason (for me), sometimes makes me cry more than the destruction itself.
I volunteered at The Salvation Army the other day, answering phones and taking messages and couldn’t believe the number of calls coming in with people asking, “How can I help?” I was actually on a “wait” list before I was called to come in because there were so many people volunteering. At one point Care & Share announced they had enough water and sports drinks on hand and didn’t need more. But later that day they were running low, made requests for more and literally within an hour, thousands and thousands of bottles were donated.
I don’t work outside of the home so I have literally stayed glued to the TV, leaving only to volunteer and drop off donations. In some small way, I tried to help by spreading the word of what was needed, where to drop off donations, and how to receive help. A very, very small contribution but something I could do. Last night I realized I didn’t have a post yet for today but I simply couldn’t think of one more word to write. I didn’t feel it was right to write about money-saving tips or fashion (we already had stories scheduled that did appear during the week, which in a way I felt was weird to post.) Quite honestly, I had to turn the news off for the first time since the Black Forest Fire started on Tuesday because I was overloaded with information. I needed a break, just for a bit, of the emotional roller-coaster…crying at one moment as I watched yet another house in flames, and then crying with happiness when I saw a dog or horse that had been rescued. It made me appreciate even more the way our local news stations have covered this story, staying on air 24/7, working 12-hour shifts to keep us all up to date, and how emotional it must be for them to be reporting. It made me think about how emotional, not to mention physically taxing, it must be for firefighters and first responders who don’t have the luxury of “turning off the news for a couple of hours.” Volunteering at The Salvation Army allowed me to see first hand how our local nonprofit agencies like Care & Share, The Red Cross, and Goodwill (just to name a few) are inundated with requests for help and can and do, at the drop of a hat, meet those needs. Last year I shared how I met a homeless man buying a bottle of water to donate, using the little bit of money he had to help someone he felt was in more need than himself. One bottle of water may not seem like much of a donation to some but he was contributing in the manner he could. He was helping to make a dent in the huge need our fellow neighbors were going through.
This fire is far from over even though we’ve begun to see our firefighters begin to get a handle on it. There are still many, many people who can’t go home yet and need food, clothing, and shelter. The shelters themselves need money so they can feed, clothe and house the evacuees. The shelters who have taken in pets and large animals need help in feeding the animals. The firefighters and first responders need items like Chapstick, eye drops, and food to eat. Care & Share announced last night they need more supplies in the form of boxed and canned items, snacks, food in smaller packages the firefighters can carry in a pocket, etc. And financial donations are desperately needed. I know there are many people on a budget these days, struggling to meet their own needs but you can opt to skip a movie or not grab a coffee and donate that money instead. A ten-dollar donation isn’t a huge sacrifice (for most) and it’s so easy to do, taking only a minute to phone in. All you have to do is text “donate” to 41010 and the ten-dollar donation will be put on your next phone bill.
Again, as we saw last year, when tragedy strikes, we can and do rise to the occasion to help others. I’m proud of how Colorado (and other states) have risen to the occasion with donations of time, money, food and clothing. Let’s keep it up and continue to meet the needs, in whatever small way we can.
There are literally hundreds of veterinary clinics, restaurants, retail businesses, private businesses, and more that are taking in collections and donating their time and services to help out…and even though I don’t know you, I’m so very proud of you.
There are so many ways you can donate and so many places to do so, I literally can’t name them all. One site (among the many) where you can find a list of drop-off locations and food items listed is at www.facebook.com/careandsharefb?fref=ts And just a reminder, legitimate agencies will NOT be calling you for donations so if you do get a phone call asking for money, it’s most likely a scam.
You know, I’ve heard the firefighters say they don’t consider themselves “heroes” and that they are just doing their job. To me, they are huge heroes and I wish I could personally hug each and every one of them!
And for those who have lost their homes and possessions, our hearts go out to you!