By Suzanne Lawler, Red Cross Communications Manager

"I think the right people showed up to the right disaster."

Those words from Brunswick Emergency Management Coordinator Alec Eaton capture the impact of the American Red Cross response to the South Georgia wildfires that scorched nearly 55,000 acres, displaced families and tested communities across Clinch, Brantley and Echols counties.

In late April, the Red Cross mobilized to support people affected by the Pineland Road and Highway 82 fires, providing shelter, comfort and critical assistance as smoke blanketed the region.

"The smoke was so thick, the road visibility was poor, and the sides of the road were on fire," recalled Emmy Thompson, a former Red Cross volunteer who now works for the organization.

For many residents, the wildfires were unlike anything they had experienced before. "In some areas it's almost like a shock to the system that something like this is happening, that you only see typically in the Midwest or West Coast," Eaton said.

It was a harrowing time. For days, the skies remained clouded with wildfire smoke. The air smelled like a campfire, but the reality was far more dangerous.

"It was heartbreaking and unlike a hurricane that comes and goes, this was unpredictable," Thompson said.

For more than a month, residents remained on edge, ready to evacuate at a moment's notice as wildfires can turn on a dime, putting lives, homes and property at grave risk.

More than 70 Red Cross responders, including five disaster mental health and disaster spiritual care volunteers, quickly mobilized to support affected communities, opening three shelters in Glynn, Wayne and Echols counties that provided over 90 overnight stays.

"They were on the spot about sheltering needs and providing for those families, which they did for English and Spanish-speaking families, too," Eaton said.

"Every day was a new evacuation, fire response or road closure," Thompson said. "Many people were hesitant to leave Brantley but found comfort and safety with our wonderful and compassionate shelter volunteers."

Opening shelters is one of the most visible ways the Red Cross helps during disasters, but the humanitarian organization provides many other critical services.

"A lot of things the Red Cross provides are things that people wouldn't think of, like prescription medications, eyeglasses, things that you need," Eaton said. "Those are critical things that the Red Cross provides."

The Red Cross also provided more than 700 meals and snacks throughout the disaster, distributed more than 100 comfort kits and supported approximately 100 firefighters.

The wildfires destroyed or severely damaged 120 homes. When a wildfire engulfs a home, often only white and gray ash remains. Sometimes the only evidence left behind is a child's toy, family photographs or another treasured memento showing that a family once lived there.

"You know this is land that's probably passed down from their home, their parents and their parents," Eaton said. "It's absolutely devastating, and their Red Cross team and the members that showed up, there wasn't one person that didn't either shed a tear with some of these people or find some way to console them or give their best effort like it was their family member. They did a great job of giving sympathy and empathy toward this community."

Thanks to generous Red Cross donors, the Georgia-led response focused on sheltering, financial assistance, recovery and community partnerships. Responders worked closely with Georgia Emergency Management, faith-based organizations and community nonprofit organizations, forming critical partnerships to meet the needs of people affected by the fires.