Your Red Cross Update

By Eric Maldonado, volunteer contributor, American Red Cross

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The Rodriguez family hadn’t even finished unpacking their apartment on Barnes Street in Middletown less than a week after they moved in.

On a hot Saturday afternoon, the family’s youngest child Danna didn’t want to take a nap and started to cry. Big sister Pricilla, 13, took Danna for a stroll outside in her little blue push car. But when they stepped outside, Pricilla knew something was very wrong. The sky was dark with what at first looked like rain clouds, but she quickly realized it was something much worse.

Wildfire was surrounding Middletown. Pricilla said, “The smoke was coming over us like a wave and it was raining ashes.”

Pricilla rushed inside and alerted her father Gregorio. In a state of disbelief, Gregorio panicked as he tried to figure out what to do. Unexpectedly, Pricilla began to give out orders and help her family pack their essential belongings. She called her mother Patricia, who was at work, to let her know what was happening.

She grabbed a suitcase and started to fill it with clothes, grabbed important documents and even a gallon of water for later use. She told her father to park their truck backwards so it would be easier to load and to leave if need be. Pricilla’s instincts turned out to be correct, because shortly after, police officers knocked on their door and told them they need to evacuate immediately.

They left to her uncle’s house, who was also packing. That night they made their way to the Napa County Fairgrounds shelter, where they were warmly greeted by Red Cross volunteers. Since then, they have signed up for recovery assistance with the Red Cross and other relief agencies, and they are now staying at the American Red Cross shelter at Twin Pine Casino in Middletown, just a few blocks away from what little remains of their apartment.

“I’ve never been in a situation like this before. I have found nothing but great people. I had no idea how much the Red Cross does. Out of this fright, I’ve seen something beautiful. There’s so much help available to those affected,” Gregorio said.

Pricilla will go back to school on Monday, Sept. 28 when it reopens. Her entire family is proud of her. They call her their hero.

By Eric Maldonado, volunteer contributor, American Red Cross

Saturday, Sept. 12 began as a normal day for the Lopez family. As they headed to their son’s football game in Fort Bragg, Calif., they couldn’t have imagined that their home would not be standing in just a few hours.

As they left, they saw the smoke in the distance, but Cirilo Rodriguez told his wife, Rocio, “Don’t worry, the firefighters will get it.” However, when they reached the football field about two hours later, the buzz was already in the air: Middletown was on fire.

Because of the danger, they weren’t allowed to return home and stayed in a hotel in Fort Bragg for the night. They tried to make it to Clear Lake, but still couldn’t go in. They had nothing more than the clothes and items they had taken to the football game.

Eventually they found themselves at Red Cross shelter in Calistoga, Calif. Working with the American Red Cross and numerous other agencies, Cirilo has received financial assistance to start building their lives again. There they had access to mental health support, hot meals and a safe place to stay while they began to map out their road to recovery. And while the journey ahead is overwhelming and uncertain, he and his family are optimistic when they think about the future.

Despite losing nearly everything, Cirilo is grateful for what remains. He said, “Even though we’re left with no material items, we’re left with our family.”

Cirilo and Rocio’s children also continue to look to the future. Their daughter, Alejandra, 17, is a senior in high school and is planning to attend college. Their son Andres, 11, wants things to return to a new normal.

Cirilo is amazed at the outpouring of caring from the community and the support from the Red Cross. “It’s been a great help. People that don’t even know us are helping us.”

Por Eric Maldonado, voluntario, Cruz Roja de Americana

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La familia Rodríguez ni siquiera había terminado de desempacar su apartamento menos de una semana de que se mudaron a su apartamento en Middletown.

En un sábado caliente por la tarde, la hija menor de la familia, Danna, no se quería dormir y empezó a llorar. Su hermana mayor Pricilla, 13, tomó Danna a dar un paseo al aire libre en su pequeño coche empuje azul. Pero cuando salieron, Pricilla sabía que algo andaba muy mal. El cielo estaba oscuro, con lo que al principio parecía que eran nubes de lluvia, pero rápidamente se dio cuenta de que era algo mucho peor.

Un reguero de pólvora rodeaba Middletown. Pricilla dijo, “El humo venía sobre nosotros como una onda y estaba lloviendo cenizas”.

Pricilla se corrió dentro de la casa y alertó a su padre Gregorio. En un estado de incredulidad, Gregorio comenzó a entrar en pánico mientras trataba de averiguar qué hacer. Inesperadamente, Pricilla comenzó a dar órdenes y ayudar a su familia empacar sus pertenencias esenciales. Ella llamó a su madre Patricia, que estaba en el trabajo, para hacerle saber lo que estaba sucediendo.

Ella agarró una maleta y empezó a llenarla con ropa, agarró los documentos importantes e incluso un galón de agua para usar mas tarde. Le dijo a su padre para estacionar su camión hacia atrás porque sería más fácil de cargar y salir si era necesario. Los instintos de Pricilla resultaron ser correcto, porque poco después, los oficiales de policía llamaron a su puerta y les dijeron que tienen que evacuar inmediatamente.

Se fueron a la casa de su tío, que también estaba empacando. Esa noche se dirigían al refugio del Condado de Napa Fairgrounds, donde fueron calurosamente recibidos por voluntarios de la Cruz Roja. Desde entonces, se han inscrito para asistencia de recuperación con la Cruz Roja y otras organizaciones de socorro, y que ahora se están quedando en el refugio de la Cruz Roja Americana en el Twin Pine Casino en Middletown, a sólo unas cuadras de distancia de lo poco que queda de su apartamento.

“Nunca he estado en una situación como esto antes. He encontrado nada más que grandes personas. No tenía ni idea de lo mucho que hace la Cruz Roja. Fuera de este susto, he visto algo hermoso. Hay tanta ayuda disponible a los afectados”, dijo Gregorio.

Pricilla volverá a la escuela el lunes 28 de septiembre cuando se vuelve a abrir. Toda su familia está tan orgullosa de ella. Ellos le llaman a ella su héroe.