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The call came at 5:00 this morning—the Trafalgar apartments on Post Road near the Warwick-East Greenwich line were ablaze. Within minutes,. local Red Cross volunteer Jim Cummings, who lived only three blocks from the fire, was on the scene, and within half an hour, he was joined by seven colleagues from as far afield as Newport and Cumberland.“Early reports from the fire teams at the site said we might be looking at 40 or more people left homeless,” said Nick Logothets, Emergency Services Director for the local Red Cross, “we knew we’d need several teams to deal with all of the victims.”
Word spread quickly that people were in trouble, and the community responded generously. Nearby Christ Church offered its parish house to the Red Cross, who opened a reception center for people evacuated from their apartments. Parishioners were out at dawn with food and coffee. A local mental health professional joined the Red Cross team to help those in distress. Dozens of calls came in, offering shelter. The Stop & Shop in North Kingstown sent over one of its managers, who offered free food to the victims. Through its partnership with the local Red Cross, CVS provided cards to everyone to help them purchase toiletries and personal care items. Those who’d lost critical medications received additional CVS cards to help them refill those prescriptions. The Red Cross is providing assistance with food and clothing for those in need.
This is the largest fire the Red Cross has responded to in several years. “We had so many people at first that we thought we might have to open a shelter in one of the local schools—something we haven’t done in quite a few years,” said Red Cross Deputy Emergency Services Director Norm Menard. “ But thanks to the generosity of the landlord, everyone has a place to sleep tonight.”
“There’s been such an outpouring of support for Haiti here in Rhode Island,” said local Chapter CEO Bruce Rutter, “we were afraid people might be tired of helping out. But this response today shows that Rhode Islanders, regardless of circumstances, will always step up to help their neighbors in need.”
The Rhode Island Chapter of the American Red Cross responds to all residential fires in the state, and provides care and comfort for the victims when needed. It is currently raising money to replenish its local emergency response fund, which was severely depleted by the rash of fires this fall. Those who wish to contribute should visit the Chapter’s website at www.riredcross.org, or call 401-831-7700. |
