Oregon Trail Chapter Latest News

Mary Miller
Marketing and Communications Director
American Red Cross Oregon Trail Chapter
Work: (503) 528-5633
Mobile: (503) 789-5887
Pager: (503) 940-2019

Five driven from Hillsboro home by fire at five fifty, Red Cross is there

PORTLAND, Ore. – December 12, 2005 – Four children and one adult are in the care of the Red Cross this morning, after fire drove them from their Walnut Street home.

Volunteers for the American Red Cross Oregon Trail Chapter responded after Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue alerted Disaster Assistance Team Four at 5:50 p.m. Monday to help the family of five, one of three fires Oregon Trail Chapter volunteers were called to since sundown. Four trained Red Cross volunteers arrived on the scene to provide lodging, plus cash assistance for meals, clothing and other replacement items.

Residents in other cases yesterday evening (in St Helens and SE Portland) were also helped by Team Four's volunteers as well, some of whom also responded to Monday's blaze.

Although only thirteen Oregonians were displaced by these three disasters, losing a home to fire is just as significant to that family as the destruction of a hurricane or tornado. Red Cross volunteers provide local families with the same care, compassion and services that a family may receive when a larger disaster destroys a community. These smaller, less newsworthy disasters happen, on average, every 32 hours in the seven county Metro Portland area served by the Oregon Trail Chapter.

Red Cross volunteers are on call around the clock to support individuals and families immediately after fires destroy their homes. Almost every day in our community, fire and other disasters affect local residents. Local Red Cross volunteers work with disaster victims at local fires, floods and other incidents, and complete the necessary paperwork to provide families with financial assistance, health services and mental health support. The disaster training provided by the Oregon Trail Chapter for its volunteers and its support for response to national disaster incidents helps better prepare our community for a large disaster that could strike the Pacific Northwest.

All relief aid and services to our clients is provided free of charge, thanls to help from generous Oregonians who understand the needs created by fire. For more information about being a part of the largest humanitarian network in the world, visit www.redcross-pdx.org

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American Red Cross, Oregon Trail volunteers respond to house fires every 32 hours on average.
To assist the Red Cross in providing disaster relief, please call (503) 528-5634.
To prepare yourself and your family for fire or other disasters, go to www.redcross-pdx.org