Gratitude from the frontlines: Reflections on the Carr Fire

In August, our RedRover Responders team was on the ground helping animals displaced by the Northern California Carr Fire. Our volunteers assisted the North Valley Animal Disaster Group (NVADG) with the shelter and care of nearly 200 beloved pets at a temporary shelter run by Haven Humane Society.

But the help didn’t stop there: RedRover staff drove from Sacramento to Redding to help load and deliver supplies, take photographs and of course be there for animals and people in their time of crisis. Here are some accounts from people who were there.

“What does a community do when a natural disaster strikes?  In the case of Redding, California, which was recently impacted by the Carr Fire, you come together in extraordinary fashion. With a fast-moving fire and massive evacuations, Haven Humane Society took on the care of 600-plus animals while their humans sheltered where they could, and the community went above and beyond to support their efforts.  I was blown away by how many community members volunteered to help care for animals and the amount of donated items that poured in. I was humbled to be a part of such a caring and compassionate community for the short time I was there.”
– Katie Campbell, RedRover Outreach Manager

“It was so rewarding to work with [the more troubled] dogs and help them become less stressed, fearful, and more comfortable. I hope that we eased the owners’ minds knowing there were people on the ground who were caring for them as if they were our own. I’ll never forget Mr. Ali, Opal & Cotton, the Great Pyrenees and his sister. Thanks RedRover for letting me be a part of it.”
– RedRover Responders volunteer

“Your whole team has been amazing!!! Your team’s help during such a trying time was critical to us being able to save and care for hundreds of animals in our community. Thank you so much for everything. We will never be able to thank you enough.”
– Mark Storrey, Haven Humane Society, CEO

“For my first deployment with RedRover Responders, I didn’t expect to respond to one of the most devastating wildfires in California’s history in my own hometown of Redding. To say this experience was one of the most humbling and inspiring of my life would be an understatement. Seeing the pictures and hearing the stories from close friends and family who lost their homes was devastating.

When the fires first broke out, I drove from Sacramento to Redding on my own dime to deliver 300 particulate filtering masks to the RedCross evacuation center, which gave me a small sense of accomplishment…but then seeing the devastation both in the neighborhoods reduced to ash and faces of the evacuees quickly overwhelmed me with a sense of urgency to do more. That same week, I was able to deploy as part of RedRover Responders to assist with the animal evacuation center just south of Redding. Our staff and volunteers couldn’t be more passionate about caring for these animals who were evacuated during this horrible disaster.

Witnessing the outpouring of generosity from the community where I grew up, coupled with seeing firsthand the incredible services RedRover provides for these animals makes me tremendously proud to be from this community and a member of this fantastic organization. RedRover is actually on the front lines, making real, tangible, positive differences in the lives of animals and their people. I encourage everyone to support an organization, RedRover or similar, that is on the frontlines making a positive change in our world.”
– Zach Trowbridge, RedRover Database Administrator

“I was sent to Anderson, CA, to photograph RedRover Responders volunteers in action and was blown away by their hard work, empathy and compassion for all of the fire victims. Even though many people lost everything they owned in the Carr fire, they still were so grateful that their animals were safe and cared for. It was an absolute honor to stand with the RedRover Responders volunteers and to document families being reunited.”
– Tara Lenehan, RedRover Education Coordinator

“For me, the highlight of my deployment to the Carr Fire was seeing the transformation in the demeanor of the cats from the first day, when so many of them were displaying anxious/fearful behavior due to the stress of evacuation and separation from their families, to calm, secure behavior two days into being cared for by our team.”
– RedRover Responders volunteer

“As RedRover’s Director of Development, I often write about the animals that our RedRover Responders volunteers help while on deployment, but rarely do I have the opportunity to help firsthand. So when Nicole asked me if I would deliver a truckload of pet supplies to help animals displaced by the Mendocino Complex Fire, I said, ‘Absolutely!’

Driving through the fire-ravaged areas was a somber reminder of how easily this could be my community, and my heart ached for the people and pets who were affected. Delivering pet supplies to families who had nothing — helping in such a tangible way — has been one of the most humbling and rewarding experiences in my time at RedRover, and I’m grateful for the chance to have made a real difference.”
– Erin Bialecki, RedRover Director of Development

“This experience has been a highlight of my year. Selflessly supporting families in their time of need provides such a deep sense of wellbeing within the soul. I am lucky to have been able to spend time on this deployment with RedRover. What a reminder to the greater good of life compared to the day-to-day business of living.”
– RedRover Responders volunteer

To see photos from our latest deployments, visit us on Facebook: Facebook.com/RedRoverOrg