By Anel Laj/American Red Cross

As Margie Power coordinated her volunteer disaster response duties with the American Red Cross Los Angeles Region, she saw flames in the east moving closer to her Altadena home. Knowing the strength of the winds, Power knew what needed to happen next. She’d done it before.

She wasted no time evacuating five adults, two dogs and four vehicles. 

“At this point we didn’t know we were losing the house; we were just evacuating; I didn’t feel like I was in jeopardy,” said Power. “There was nothing I could do about the house; the winds were high enough that there was no point staying with a hose hoping I could put out a stray ember. If the fire was coming, it was coming in force. We needed to get out of the way.”   

The next morning her son confirmed what they had feared–their home was gone.

Power and her son, who also volunteers for the Red Cross, were among the thousands of families who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire. In an instant, she found herself on the other side of the disaster response equation: not just a volunteer helping others, but someone in need of help herself.

Although they stayed with friends after the fire, the emotional toll was immense. Even with her years of Red Cross experience, the shock and strain took hold.

Although Power and her son were able to stay with friends after the fire, the impact of losing the house would reverberate for some time and even though she’d been with the Red Cross for years, the strain and shock of this event weighed heavily on her mental well-being.  

“The thing I learned about myself about being a disaster survivor; the shock and the brain fog are real; the brain freeze is real,” said Power. “But as near as I can tell, I’m as fortunate a disaster survivor as can possibly be, because I got disaster experience.”

While posting updates on Facebook to let friends and family know they were safe, random acts of kindness and offers from unexpected places began arriving places to stay, advice from former inspectors, clothing and supplies from fellow parishioners at All Saints Church. 

“I felt like we as a larger community, we help each other,” said Power. “When I’m in the position to help, I help. When I’m in the position to need help I’ll accept help, it’s not like I had to learn that. I appreciated it and was willing to accept help immediately.”

Red Cross Los Angeles Regional Disaster Officer Erica Frausto-Aguado was among the first to reach out, connecting Power with a long-time recovery volunteer to help her navigate the complex aftermath. As part of its commitment to supporting individuals and families affected by disasters, the Red Cross provided immediate financial assistance within the first weeks, followed by a second round to help with necessities like food and supplies—bridging the gap between emergency response and long-term recovery.

At the Pasadena Disaster Recovery Center, Power accessed essential services from organizations like the DMV, Passport Agency and LA County Registrar-Recorder’s Office to reissue critical documents free of charge. Red Cross emotional health resources also became part of her support team and healing.

In addition to losing all she owned in the fires, Power also lost the everyday routines that grounded her—simple things like going to the dog groomer or stopping by the corner market were suddenly gone. So, when the opportunity to resume her Red Cross volunteer activities felt right, she jumped at the chance. It wasn’t just a return to service—it was a return to herself.

Power acknowledged that her Red Cross work at that point wasn’t necessarily selfless—it was extremely curative for her. She felt it benefitted her more than the people she was helping. What she needed most was a return to normalcy.

Power has been actively volunteering for the Red Cross since 2021 and being part of a network that’s dedicated to helping others in crisis is deeply embedded in her identity. Resuming small pieces of her daily routine gave her a sense of comfort—and a way forward. Before returning, however, she made sure she was emotionally ready to support others. Through conversations with Red Cross mental health services, she carefully assessed her capacity to re-engage.

“I wanted to make sure I wasn’t fooling myself into thinking I could help people who were in the most challenging position,” Power shared. “We sort of came to the conclusion together that if I was going to jump back in, it was better to do it in something that was a little more removed from clients, that wouldn’t push [my] buttons. I went back to Planning and Information, rather than Direct Recovery Support.”

In her first few assignments back, she response to heavy rain mudslide threats and a home-based fireworks factory that threatened an East San Fernando Valley neighborhood. Now, she’s temporarily renting a home and helping lead the disaster response to a large apartment fire in Covina—all while awaiting the rebuilding of her own house in Altadena.

Power’s story reminds us there are two sides to the Red Cross: the giving and the receiving. Sometimes, as in her case, they belong to the same person. Whether responding to others or facing loss herself, Power exemplifies the heart of the Red Cross mission—showing up with compassion, resilience and the readiness to help, no matter which side of the disaster she stands on.

Join our team of humanitarians by visiting redcross.org/volunteer.