11/15/2018
Got back a couple of hours ago from Farmer's Insurance Disaster Relief Services in Chico, where I took my German Shepherd, Maya, to provide therapy for people affected by the Camp Fire. It was a very humbling experience. Even with the outside air closed off on my car's air conditioner, the smoke was so thick on the 2 hour drive up there from where I live that at times I was literally on the verge of choking. Even a mask did nothing to hinder the smell of charred wood. But, that pales in comparison to the suffering so many people have endured, and are still going through. The typical news media hype did not prepare me for what I saw, and what I was told firsthand by many who lost everything in Paradise, CA. Unless you were there, you can't even imagine what it was like. It hit me like a ton of bricks when, as soon as I took my dog out of the car, people in cars parked near me jumped out of their cars and rushed over to me asking if they could pet and hug my dog! It was then that I realized people weren't just parked in cars, their cars were their new homes! Almost everyone I spoke to was either living in their cars, or in tents in parking lots. The fortunate ones were crammed into hotel and motel rooms, but those appeared to be far and few between. I interacted with those that were so destitute that I feared for their lives, if you know what I mean. Others had these same chilling words to share, "We are thankful we have our lives!" When I first saw that some were wearing only sandals in the cold weather, I thought they were crazy, until one of them told me they had to suddenly run from their homes. I was told by some that there wasn't even enough time for local law enforcement to issue evacuation warnings. People saw fire racing towards their homes and dropped everything and ran. Those who had cars crammed in as many people as they could and sped off. Others were not so lucky and had no choice but to hoof it. And, according to some people, some of their family membes didn't stand a chance. When I asked one person if they had a pen, they said, "I have nothing on me, not even a penny!" And, the resolve of many was incredible, like something out of a disaster movie. People told me adamantly that they would rebuild their homes and businesses in Paradise no matter how long it takes. To those of you who have never endured such a catastrophe, consider yourself blessed!
