“If only I had known this would happen,” said one of the residents outside her burned apartment building on September 7. That seemed to be the going sentiment among all the neighbors, as they waited to find out when they could return to their apartments so they could retrieve shoes, cell phones and car keys.

Unfortunately, the residents could not return to the building that day, but the Red Cross Disaster Action Team was there to help---just as they had been that night when the residents were huddled outside in the rain, many of them with nowhere to go. The fire at 211 Washington Street had struck at midnight, and the team of Dodge County volunteers had responded shortly after. They met with the displaced families and provided shelter, food and clothing for many who had nowhere else to go.

The next day, these dedicated volunteers met with families who had stayed with friends or family the night before. Many didn’t have shoes, and one woman needed medication for her son. Caseworkers gave the families comfort kits, filled with shampoo, conditioner and other hygiene items. They gave the adults the means to obtain shoes, clothes and other necessary supplies and handed out stuffed animals to the children.

When the families found out they could not stay at their apartments for the weekend, volunteers from the Red Cross made sure that everyone had a place to stay, and provided shelter for those who did not have a place to go. In all, the Red Cross assisted 45 people with medication replacement, shelter, food, clothing and any other immediate supplies they needed.

Every year, the Red Cross in Southeastern Wisconsin responds to more than 500 fires. You can help people affected by disasters like this one by filling out our online volunteer form or by making a secure donation through our website.