By John Heuvelman, American Red Cross

On February 13, 2026, Vanessa Spratt and her family experienced a life-changing event.  She was away from home with her family and when she returned, she found her house fully involved in fire. Firefighters were on the scene and in the early stages of battling the blaze, but it was already apparent her home had suffered severe damage.

Vanessa was shocked and overwhelmed, as anyone faced with that situation might be. As the firefighters fought to save her home, she was flooded with thoughts about what to do next to take care of her and her family. Vanessa is matriarch to a family of six. Their home was gone and with it most of their belongings. The blaze had destroyed most of the upper floor and severely damaged the first floor. Almost immediately, amid her worry and confusion, a Red Cross Disaster Action Team arrived on the scene. Vanessa says she has no idea how they were notified of the fire, or how they made it to the scene so quickly.   “They were almost there before I was,” she said.

As the fire department continued to battle the fire, Red Cross volunteers provided blankets to Vanessa and her grandkids to protect them from the February cold. As the team took care of her immediate physical needs, they began to make arrangements for Vanessa’s family. They found a place for the family to stay, beginning that night, and provided her with funds to cover immediate expenses. The only clothes they had were the ones that they were wearing. The Red Cross helped Vanessa purchase clothes for her family, provided them with toiletries and basic goods, and made sure they had food to eat. 

Fortunately, no one was in the house at the time of the fire but figuring out a way forward was overwhelming. Vanessa didn’t know what to do, whom to contact, or where to go. The Red Cross, however, with its experience in providing disaster relief, knows that the needs of victims extend beyond the time of the event itself. Together, they worked to replace her prescription medications and her granddaughter’s eyeglasses that had been lost in the fire and plan a way forward. In the days following the fire, the Red Cross team followed up and made sure Vanessa got all the support and assistance that she needed. This support included emotional and practical support as well as a follow-up from a nurse to ensure that the family was healthy and suffering no aftereffects.

Vanessa is extremely appreciative of all the help and comfort the Red Cross volunteers provided, both on the day of the fire and in the days and weeks following, and calls the Red Cross “a godsend” to her and her family. “They made sure everyone was safe and felt taken care of. I can’t express my gratitude enough,” she emphasizes.

Vanessa and her family remain displaced from their home, unsure when they will be able to return. The rebuilding has only just begun, and though the road ahead is long, they eagerly await the day they can return home.