A Red Crosser surveys damage caused by fires in LA
What happens when you have nowhere to go after a disaster? What if your neighborhood is destroyed, or your home is no longer safe? For those affected by the January 2025 fires in Los Angeles, Calif., the American Red Cross was there to supply safe shelter, food, relief supplies, financial assistance, comfort and a specific service that only Sue Trautman and her team can provide.
Sue, a Red Cross Northern California Coastal Region volunteer, arrived in LA about a week after the fires devastated communities across the city. She set up shop in the Red Cross offices downtown and got right to work. Sue served on the Shelter Resident Transition Team — a group of volunteers that helps evacuees in shelters create a plan to move into more stable long-term housing.
In 2017, the infamous Tubbs Fire wrecked numerous counties in Northern California, notably the Napa, Sonoma, and Lake Counties, destroying more than half of the homes in the area and displacing over 100,000 people. Starting on Oct. 8, the wildfire burned for 23 days until it was finally put out on Oct. 31. The Tubbs Fire became known as the most destructive fire in California at the time it happened, which left many fire victims with the burden of rebuilding their lives.
Selma Vandermade was unfortunately one of the many affected by the fires in Santa Rosa, which bore the brunt of the Tubbs Fire’s destruction. Having been supported by the American Red Cross herself during this tragic situation, Selma has been returning the favor as a prominent Red Cross donor and Tiffany Circle member.
Selma recalled the night of the fire itself, describing the moment when she had to leave her beloved home.
A wildfire deployment shows the Red Cross mission at work on both sides of the border
“I like helping the community and giving back, so when I saw the opportunity to deploy outside the U.S., it grabbed my attention.”
Lucy in a wildfire shelter in Winnipeg.
Lucy Rojas is no stranger to disaster work. The Red Cross veteran, based in Monterey County with the Northern California Coastal region, recently finished a deployment to Canada to assist with the Canadian Red Cross response to the 2025 wildfires. But her initial disaster response was stateside in 2018.
“In 2018, I was deployed to the Parkland shooting; I was an intern at the (Red Cross) Broward County Chapter in Florida when it happened,” she said. The Red Cross was one of many humanitarian organizations that responded to the Feb. 14 mass casualty event at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Seventeen people lost their lives that day. The Red Cross provided on-site support at the Family Assistance Center.
“Then I was deployed to a shelter the Red Cross opened in response to a fire at a local senior living complex. Just as that was wrapping up, the Florida International University pedestrian bridge collapse happened, and I was part of that response. All of this happened within three months.”
In early January, a series of devastating wildfires tore through the Los Angeles metro area, leaving destruction in their wake. The fires, which impacted multiple neighborhoods, resulted in at least 29 deaths, the destruction of over 16,000 structures, and dangerously unhealthy air quality affecting millions. As communities continue to recover from this disaster, businesses and organizations across California have stepped up to provide support.
Samantha, Naiel Ammari’s daughter, evacuated from Calabasas during the devasting wildfires.
One such business is Best RV Center, a family-operated dealership located in Turlock, Calif. Established in 1997 by Naiel Ammari and his brother Nazeh, Best RV Center has grown into one of the largest RV dealerships in the region. Situated on 20 acres along Route 99, the dealership boasts an impressive inventory of 1,700 RVs, offering a wide range of models to customers from across the state.
When the wildfires broke out in January, the devastation hit close to home for Naiel. His daughter Samantha, a graduate student at Pepperdine University, was among those affected. Living in Calabasas, she faced difficulties commuting to school due to road closures. With no water or internet access, she and other students found support from the American Red Cross, which provided shelter, clothing, water and essential supplies to those affected by the fires. Pepperdine University was forced to close temporarily, shifting classes online, and Samantha chose to leave the area and drive eight hours back home to Turlock.
One August morning in 2023, Katie “Sully” Sullivan awoke to the first news segments about the Maui wildfires. An experienced American Red Cross Disaster Program Manager for Alameda County, she soon realized things were going to get bad. Later, the phone rang. It was American Red Cross national headquarters asking her to deploy. “Over the six years I’ve been with the Red Cross, I’ve seen the aftermath of large-scale disasters, from hurricanes to tornadoes to floods. Each brought unique challenges,” she recently said when remembering the disaster nearly a year later. But for Sully, this one stood out.
Hurricane Dora crashing into Maui’s tinder-dry foliage on August 8, 2023, meant there was little warning for what would become the worst natural disaster in the archipelago’s recorded history. The result: the historic district of Lahaina was virtually vaporized—as were sections of Palehu and the smaller Upcountry community of Kula—causing approximately 100 fatalities. A year later, the effort to heal and rebuild is still underway.
Hundreds of American Red Cross disaster workers are in California, helping people impacted by this two-week stretch of back-to-back severe weather.
Lunch is served, thanks to Red Cross husband-and-wife volunteer team Lillian and Jeff!
The relentless storms have caused flooding, landslides, power outages, severe damage to roadways and numerous evacuations from one end of the state to the other. Almost 470 trained Red Cross disaster workers are helping people in California. Here are some of their stories.
“We enjoy having different scenery from our retired life,” says Lillian, who is serving meals with her husband at the Red Cross shelter in San José that was opened in response to flooding in the area.
“We don’t like sitting around,” says Jeff, and so they volunteer together here and also deliver blood donations to hospitals three days per week for the Red Cross.
“Lots of listening.”
That is what Gale, a retired Nurse, says is a big part of her day as an American Red Cross disaster health services volunteer in San José.
“I am helping people by listening, or helping them get lost medications, helping them get a cane or a walker,” says Gale.
“They want to know that somebody is here to support them.”
Gail Carli, San Mateo Volunteer
“This is my first rodeo,” says American Red Cross volunteer Fernando. It’s his first time volunteering at a shelter set up in response to flooding in San José.
“I am impressed by how many people are willing to volunteer from other states, to come out from their homes and help us in California,” he says.
Fernando is part of a team of volunteers from across America who are providing beds and meals to people impacted by flooding.
Red Cross volunteer, Anthony, from West Virginia
“When I go home I lock myself in the house to decompress and think about what I have been through,” Anthony says, of how he deals with the hardest parts of volunteering in disaster areas.
Anthony has experienced the emotional ups and downs of being an American Red Cross volunteer numerous times, helping in shelters and assessing damage to people’s homes after disasters.
Anthony flew into San José this week from West Virginia to help at a shelter at Seven Trees Community Center for people who have been affected by flooding.
But it’s not all tough times as a volunteer. The best parts include travel to new places, sightseeing when off duty and visiting friends in other cities, according to Anthony.
“I jam in some fun every time,” he says.
After Lisa finishes her shift as a Disaster Health Services volunteer for the American Red Cross, she will catch a few good hours of sleep and then wake up at 4:30 am to get to her day job as a Registered Nurse in a hospital caring for children after surgery.
How does she do it all?
“I just figure out how to juggle it because it’s important to me,” she says. “These people are in an incredibly challenging situation,” she says about the residents seeking refuge from flooding across California.
The Red Cross relies on people like Lillian, Jeff, Gail, Fernado, Anthony and hundreds more volunteers who offer shelter and compassion to people affected by disasters please visit redcross.org/volunteer.
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