Spending Summer Break Helping

Brittney Valdez (l) and Sarah Ayala came to the #LockportFire
shelter at North park Junior High School looking to volunteer

Most college students are spending these last few days of summer break getting ready to return to school. Cornell University sophomore-to-be Brittney Valdez decided she wanted to spend her Thursday a little differently.

"If someone is in a crisis and I can offer comfort, that would be really awesome," said Valdez, a Lockport resident. Valdez and her friend Sarah Ayala came to the Red Cross shelter at North Park Junior High School, looking for ways to help those affected when a large tire fire forced eight surrounding blocks to evacuate.

"This is a small community," Valdez said. "It's devastating."

"I'm travelling from Texas," said Ayala, who met Valdez about six years ago when she also lived in the Lone Star State. "Maybe I was meant to help out. I can't explain it."

Sarah Ayala (l) and Brittney Valdez help Red Cross volunteers
inventory comfort kits at North Park Junior High School shelter
for #LockportFire evacuees

Ayala and Valdez started by helping volunteers inventory the comfort kits at the shelter. Those comfort kits were surrounded by other examples of the Lockport and Western New York community coming together to help their neighbors in need: Cases of water donated by Wegmans, Wal-Mart, Tops and Lockport residents.

"I think it's a test of character, the type of person who would volunteer," Ayala says. "No matter how bad my day has been, I still have a chance to help other people."

Red Cross volunteers will continue to support displaced residents and the firefighters and other first responders Friday, providing water, food and comfort. To learn more about how you can help people after fires and other disasters, please visit www.redcross.org. 

Western New York/Finger Lakes Red Cross Assisting 26 People Following Weekend Disasters

Volunteers providing shelter, food, clothing and support after six incidents

BUFFALO, NY, November 4, 2013 – American Red Cross volunteers are assisting with the immediate emergency needs of 26 people following six separate fires or other disasters in the Western New York/Finger Lakes Regions over the weekend. Red Cross assistance typically includes vouchers for temporary housing, food and clothing as well as mental health support. The families will then meet with caseworkers at their local Red Cross headquarters to develop a long-term recovery plan. Several of these incidents took place at multi-unit buildings, so it is possible additional residents will come forward seeking assistance.

Fire scene on Steuben St. in Corning.
Photo courtesy Corning Leader

On Saturday, volunteers from the Disaster Action Team (DAT) were called to Gasport Road in Lockport, where they assisted two adults affected by a house fire. Also Saturday, volunteers assisted three people displaced after a car drove through their Williams Street home in Elmira. Sunday, DAT members assisted seven people after an apartment fire on Steuben Street in Corning. Also Sunday, volunteers responded to a fire at the Russo Building on Park Place in Fredonia, assisting 11 people who had been displaced, while a separate team of volunteers assisted two people following a fire on Webster Road in Brocton. Early Monday morning, DAT members responded to the scene of a fire on North Division in Buffalo to provide assistance to one person that had been displaced.

The American Red Cross spends an average of just over $1,000 when responding to a single house fire affecting a family of four.  To support people affected by house fires and other disasters, please consider making a donation to the Disaster Relief Fund at www.redcross.org, by calling 1-800-REDCROSS, or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation (charges will appear on your cell phone bill).

"It's like the North Pole out here!"

Photo courtesy www.ims.uaf.edu

That's a quote from my son as we walked to school today. Lake effect snow joined the frigid temperatures in Buffalo and the northtowns this morning, something the southtowns and southern tier have already been dealing with. This made for a slow morning commute, with several reports of accidents.

The dangers of this cold and snow are not limited to the roadways, however. Our Disaster Action Team volunteers responded to two separate fires yesterday, one of which was directly attributable to this winter weather. Thanks to your support, our volunteers were able to provide a homeowner with vouchers for temporary housing, food, clothing and shoes when his North Transit Road home in Lockport was destroyed by fire after, he told officials, he attempted to thaw frozen water lines with a propane torch.

We're glad this gentleman is alright, and while our volunteers are always ready and willing to help, I'm sure they would prefer to not have to stand outside in the freezing temperatures any more than necessary. So here's some tips to SAFELY thaw those frozen pipes:

• If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe. Likely places for frozen pipes include against exterior walls or where your water service enters your home through the foundation.
• Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area. Running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe.
• Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device.
• Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you can not thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.
• Check all other faucets in your home to find out if you have additional frozen pipes. If one pipe freezes, others may freeze, too.

Of course the best way to deal with frozen pipes is to prevent them from freezing in the first place. We have some hints on how to do just that, as well as other winter storm safety tips, on our website. Stay safe and warm, Buffalo. Santa Claus may not really live in WNY, but he'd probably feel pretty comfortable here this week!