ARC Girl in Action

So yesterday I get a call on the way to work that there is a house fire in progress in Ellsworth
and that it will be a total loss. I stop at the office to pick up some comfort kits, water and some identifying clothing.. we have an XL vest that Corinna said if I put on two more coats I could wear or her green baseball cap with "Red Cross Field Services" on it, considering the weather (8 degrees) I went for the hat! I had talked to the owner by cell phone who asked me to come to the scene. Glad I at least wore clogs! Every bit of water was freezing on contact, the house was on a hill off a side street from route 1A (High Street) the firemans O2 tanks were freezing up. The only saving grace was the wind was much less than it was on Tuesday so it felt like a heat wave comparitively. It was a big old New England Frame farm house three stories and fire popping out everywhere. A family of six would be homeless this evening.

It was exciting in a way as it was my first on scene work..the newspapers and tv want to talk to you and take pictures and all,but the reality of what you are doing really hits home as you watch someone's life go up in flames. I met with the family in the office later to set them up for the night and knew the circumstances of their day had not even come close to reality yet for them.
It is nice knowing though, we give that first bit of sanity and comfort back to a family when all else around them has crumbled.

Today the newspapers all had huge pictures and all three offices were fielding phone calls as well as the fire department on how to help. THis is a family who will make it through this. So many times it is a situation where they just don't get out of the hole the fire has caused. Makes me glad I can be there for both. Gretchen