“It was my day off, and all of a sudden, I thought I smelled something. When I looked out the door, there were huge clouds of black smoke,” said Brenda of Myrtle Beach, SC, as she recalls the fire that changed her life. “I yelled for my son, and we grabbed whatever we could and ran down the stairs through the smoke.”
In South Carolina, Disaster Action Teams (DAT) respond to an average of six home fires every day in the state. DAT teams are on-call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to respond whenever and wherever disaster strikes.
“After the fire department came, I was told one of the tenants downstairs had used a portable air conditioner that caught fire. They had also sprayed some insect repellant on the walls that acted as an accelerant,” Brenda described the scene after the building was evacuated. “We all waited outside while the firefighters put the fire out and the building power was turned off. We were stranded until the Red Cross arrived.”
When the Red Cross responds to home fires, volunteers conduct damage assessments, and caseworkers reach out to individuals and families impacted to understand their immediate needs.
“We were very appreciative of the help from the Red Cross, which paid for the hotel for the two days that I had to leave, the food I lost with the power outage, and some cleaning supplies,” Brenda shared. “I don’t know what I would have done; it would have taken almost my whole paycheck just for the two nights in a hotel. I am very grateful – it was a Godsend that the Red Cross showed up that night.”
Oftentimes, the Red Cross provides assistance to help replace things like hygiene items, prescriptions, clothes, food, and a place to stay. Additionally, the Red Cross will offer referrals to mental health or spiritual care and connections to other services.
“Luckily, our apartment wasn’t severely damaged, just a lot of smoke damage. We were lucky – it was scary, but we were really lucky,” Brenda reflected on how the day’s events could have ended much worse. “Compared to what it could have been – nobody was harmed, no lives were lost. Things are things. You can always replace your things, but you can’t replace your people.”
To make your home safe, the American Red Cross recommends all households create and practice a two-minute escape drill and test smoke alarms monthly.
“I’m still a little traumatized every time I hear a siren. That was the first time I’ve ever been through a fire, and I hope and pray it’s the last one. A lot of us have been here a very long time. We have several people here who are handicapped, older people, and people with health issues. We all try to look out for each other here,” Brenda shares how the residents of the converted hotel built a community of support.
Despite Brenda’s experience and the fact that she’s still working towards a full recovery from the incident, she wants to pay it forward.
“I am glad to help, and I will donate more as soon as I can when I’m back on my feet. There were a few times I bought something from Walmart, and at check out, it said to round up and donate to the Red Cross. I know it isn’t a whole lot, but I figure anything helps,” said Brenda.
YOU CAN HELP FAMILIES in your community recover from devastating home fires. Your gift provides financial assistance so families can pay for their immediate needs such as food, clothes, personal care items, and hotel stays. Help families get back on their feet by giving the gift of a second chance. Become a Hometown Hero.