By Nadine Mapes, American Red Cross

When the Aspen Acres Fire erupted near Beulah, Colo., retired U.S. Department of the Interior supervisory hydrologist and Red Cross shelter supervisor Rodger Ortiz didn't hesitate. While checking on his property near the fire, he saw smoke rising in the distance and immediately knew the situation was serious. He immediately made himself available to serve as a shelter supervisor — and then found himself evacuated from his own property shortly thereafter.

Now, with the Aspen Acres Fire spanning more than 90,000 acres and evacuees still unable to return home, Rodger continues serving families while facing the very same uncertainty.

For Rodger, showing up despite hardship is second nature. He calls himself a sort of "ghost" because he prefers direct frontline action over meetings and emails. Yet he is always ready to deploy when the community needs him.

"If they need me for something, they know they can call me," Rodger said. "When they need me, I make sure I’m there."

Rodger is drawn to the overnight shift, where families can finally pause and rest after an exhausting day. Managing an evacuation shelter overnight means keeping a watchful eye while exhausted families try to rest, he says. On his first night, a displaced family came to Rodger asking for towels, but the shelter was completely out. Recognizing the urgency, Rodger posted a quick plea on his personal Facebook page. Within hours, local friends were dropping off stacks of clean towels.

The next day, an elderly woman and her sister arrived with nothing but the clothes on their backs after fleeing the flames. Rodger immediately called his wife, who quickly gathered several complete outfits from a local source and delivered them to the shelter. Together, they made sure the sisters could clean up, change into fresh clothes and begin to feel like themselves again.

By then, Rodger was running on just two hours of sleep over a two-and-a-half-day stretch. It is an exhausting pace, but it is exactly the kind of direct, neighbor-helping-neighbor impact that defines our mission.

"I always will try and help the best I can," Rodger says. Even after days with little sleep, he treasures the few quiet moments he gets to spend with his wife before returning to the shelter. Like the families he serves each night, they, too, are living with the uncertainty that comes with evacuation.

But for Rodger, helping others makes the long, sleepless nights worthwhile. Seeing the exhaustion leave a neighbor's eyes, replaced by the quiet comfort of knowing they aren't facing the fire alone, reminds him why he keeps answering the call — even while waiting to learn when he, too, will be allowed to return home.

It's in these quiet, late-night moments of human connection that the Red Cross mission comes to life — one clean towel, one fresh outfit and one reassuring smile at a time.

Be the hope during the next crisis. Visit the American Red Cross Volunteer Portal today to learn how you can train to become a disaster responder in your community.