By: Kara Witsoe, American Red Cross Volunteer

Working long hours at a Red Cross facility in Los Angeles, Red Cross Northwest Region volunteer Tory Fiedler is helping coordinate mental health support for community members following the Palisades and Eaton fires in Southern California. Tory, who flew to California from her home in Selah, Washington, to support disaster relief efforts, serves as a Red Cross Disaster Mental Health volunteer.

Thousands of people have been impacted by the California wildfires, and many are grappling with loss and the uncertainty of what comes next. Tory and members of the Red Cross Health Services team in Los Angeles are partnering with the LA County Department of Mental Health and other local and community agencies to conduct outreach and meet local needs.

“It’s not just their house that burned; it’s their community that burned. They’ve lost their neighbors, friends, workplaces, and local stores,” said Tory. “Reach out to the people you know who are affected and give them your compassion.”

Tory encourages reaching out to the Red Cross for help accessing mental health resources as well. She says it's normal for survivors of natural disasters to struggle with anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. Tory shares some advice for the short- and long-term issues they encounter.

“There’s help all around – reach for it and accept it when it comes. All of this will take time and patience, and it’s not going to be easy. Take things one step at a time and do the thing in front of you – and then the next and the next. Lean on the people that you love and who love you because that’s who will help you.”

Tory has been a dedicated Red Cross volunteer for more than 20 years, supporting communities following hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires and floods.

“This is my service to my community and to my country. This is what I do because I’m a humanitarian,” she said. “When we take care of others, we take care of ourselves. There’s no other work I’d rather be doing.”