By Kristin Goodwillie, Northwest Region

Netha Mogel is no stranger to 3 a.m. phone calls.

A house fire. A displaced family. Someone in need of Red Cross assistance.

For the past three years as an American Red Cross volunteer, she’s been the one on the other line.

But on July 19, 2026, Netha’s wake-up call was different.

It was still 3 a.m. The fire department was still on the other end of the line. This time, however, a wildfire was threatening her own Liberty Lake home.

She was told to leave immediately.

“They asked how many people lived in the home and how many pets. Then I was instructed to travel slowly down the only road to escape as there was heavy smoke, and numerous police and firefighters in the path,” said Netha.

She turned on all the lights in her house, so officers knew they were up and evacuating, then set the sprinklers.

“Thanks to Red Cross wildfire preparedness training, my husband and I were ready. We had our go-bag packed. I knew when I received that phone call we probably had just minutes,” said Netha.

Coincidentally, Netha had already packed for an upcoming three-week deployment to Guam, where Red Cross volunteers were supporting humanitarian relief efforts following Typhoon Bavi. So, it was easy for her and her husband to jump into separate vehicles and begin driving through the smoke-filled street.

There was only one road in and out of their neighborhood. It was flanked by fire.

Netha called the Red Cross to tell them about this early morning wildfire that was threatening 40 homes in her neighborhood.

When Netha found herself facing a wildfire evacuation, it was Karen Kelley who answered the call.

Karen’s relationship with Netha began years ago when she recruited Netha as a volunteer during wildfires in Spokane County. Karen later became her mentor and friend.

"She could see fire along the side of the road," said Karen. "Then she told me the fire had crossed the road and she was stuck there. She said to me, 'I'm not going to get out of here.'"

Even days later, Karen says those words still impact her. "I just had shudders thinking of it," Karen said.

“She was my angel,” said Netha.

Karen stayed on the phone the entire time.

"I never thought about ending the call," she said. "I was providing Netha the opportunity to talk and process as she drove through awful conditions in the dark. The only thing I could do was talk to her and listen."

It was Karen’s voice and calm presence that helped Netha get through the stressful drive.

“I thought about the eerie red glow, flames, and embers, and all the firefighters I have spoken to in my role as a duty officer,” said Netha, remembering the evacuation.

She feared for her neighbors’ safety and remembered only weeks ago responding to the UpRiver fire in Spokane Valley that destroyed homes.

“I was reminded how I sat with those who lost everything as well as those who were feeling guilty because their homes hadn’t burned.”

Firefighters from Spokane Valley Fire District, Kootenai County Fire Department and Newman Lake Fire Department contained the Broken Lance Fire and saved all the homes that were threatened.

As Netha drove through the smoke and flames that morning, however, she didn’t yet know how the fire would end. Instead, she found herself thinking about what first inspired her to volunteer.  It was back in 2005, during Hurricane Katrina. The Red Cross gave her elderly father food and water as they were running from the approaching storm. “I swore if ever I was in a position to not be the one running from storms, I would be there for those who had to flee,” said Netha.

She has kept her promise. She not only answers the call when someone is in trouble but has deployed all over the country for the American Red Cross. She has been the other person on the line, the person who hugs someone who has lost everything and the person who helps put the pieces back together.

For three years, Netha has been the steady voice people hear when disaster strikes. On July 19, she became the person in need of reassurance and support amid so much uncertainty.

On Sunday, she was far away from the hurricanes and in the middle of a tinderbox. “Karen was the Red Crosser I needed, and she was there,” said Netha.

Thanks to Karen and her fellow Red Cross volunteers, Netha was shown the same compassion she had spent years providing to others.

“I said it then and I’ll say it for the rest of my life, Red Cross is the BEST job I’ve ever had. And who would have guessed this level of satisfaction would come during my retirement years? I’m all in with Red Cross.”