The Story Behind the Video

“I don’t know where we would be without the Red Cross stepping in to help.”

Jessi Evans, her four children and their father Cliff have been living in a hotel provided by Red Cross volunteers and supporters since their Middleport, NY apartment building was destroyed by fire two days ago. The story of how Evans and the children survived is getting a lot of attention, largely thanks to a video shot by one of the many people who came together to rescue them.

“Cliff and I watched the video last night, it took us two tries to get through it,” Evans said. “We saw how everyone came together to help.”

Evans and the children, all under the age of seven, were in a bedroom when Jessi’s sister noticed smoke. They called 911, grabbed the kids and went to a window. “

My sister kicked out the window and we started screaming for help,” Evans said. Middleport police and fire officials rushed to the back of the home, where Evans and her sister started passing children to them through the window. Evans actually went back into the home to try to rescue her pets before being forced onto a rooftop.

Jessi Evans, her children Hayden, Bryson, Connor and
Taylor with their father Cliff

“I had to think that if I went back to get the animals, my kids might not have their mother,” Evans said. A volunteer firefighter from a nearby district, who shot the video, happened on the scene, grabbed a ladder from a neighboring apartment building and helped Middleport officials safely get Evans and her sister down before the building was destroyed. Evans, her sister and the kids were taken to the hospital with smoke inhalation, but would be okay.

“I started screaming for my family,” said Cliff, who was at work when the fire started. “My family is my life, the reason I get up and go to work every day. Thank you for helping them.”

“I was informed at the hospital that the Red Cross could help, and that’s where I met with Mike,” Evans said of Disaster Action Team volunteer Mike Hoplight. “The extended stay at the hotel has helped a lot. Otherwise we might have stayed with family, but probably would’ve been separated because of space.” The Red Cross has also provided the family with vouchers for food, clothing and baby supplies such as diapers, and Hoplight and other caseworkers continue to meet with the family to help them get back on their feet.

“The support from the community has been tremendous,” Evans said. “I wish I could thank everyone individually.”

Evans, Cliff and the children are just six of the over 50 Erie and Niagara County residents receiving Red Cross assistance after nine separate fires over the past four days. We can only help these neighbors in need thanks to your support. Please consider making a donation to the Disaster Relief Fund by calling 1-800-REDCROSS, visiting www.redcross.org, or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to charge a $10 donation to your phone bill. And we’d love to have you as a volunteer as well.

Sorry, Jimmy Griffin!

Volunteers Pete Peterson and Mary Walker at a shelter
in Southwestern New York

During the Blizzard of 1985, former Buffalo Mayor Jimmy Griffin said, "Stay inside, grab a six-pack and watch a good football game." Unfortunately, during the "Polar Vortex" of 2014, our staff and volunteers from across the Western New York and Finger Lakes Regions haven't exactly had time to do that.

In Rochester, we opened nine shelters as part of the City's "Heat Sweep" program. Working in the 50 Prince Street office, it was amazing to see how quickly the volunteers came together to honor this request from City Hall to help our neighbors in need. On the western end of our region, staff and volunteers opened shelters in Ripley and Irving to help travelers stranded by Thruway and other road closures come in out of the cold. Over 70 people spend Monday night at Red Cross shelters, and warming stations were also opened in Wellsville and Cuba.

Of course, our response to this winter weather didn't end with sheltering. In Rochester, a reporter called me about an international family stranded at the airport by flight diversions and cancellations until Friday. Our emergency services team worked with the airline to ensure this story had a happy ending.

Coffee and water ready for residents at Gantt Center shelter
in Rochester (courtesy of Wegmans)

And much like the post office, neither snow nor bitter cold can stop our volunteers from helping those in need after a fire. We provided assistance including Disaster Mental Health services to three survivors of a fire in Niagara Falls, helped 11 people after an Orchard Park apartment fire, and 11 people--including some who were apparently part of a heroic rescue effort by first responders--in Middleport. Whether or not our bitter cold weather was a factor in these incidents, the Western New York and Finger Lakes Regions have responded to 10 fires since Monday, helping over 50 people who lost everything in the blink of an eye.

We are only able to provide this vital service to the community because of your support, so THANK YOU to all or our supporters, and of course the volunteers who braved the elements to help our neighbors in need this week. And don't worry, we're still ready to respond if necessary after the upcoming flood watch as well!

Resolve to Volunteer!

What I believe to be my only
"selfie" of 2013. Taken while
enjoying the Bills bye week.

So earlier on this New Year's Eve, a reporter friend of mine Tweeted, half jokingly (I think), "Here's an idea; for every selfie you took in 2013, volunteer that many hours in 2014." Personally, I'm not a big fan of the whole "selfie" thing, but for some people, that would leave them volunteering pretty much 24/7 in 2014!

The good news is that we have plenty of volunteer opportunities here at the American Red Cross, and some of them can take as little time as it takes post a "selfie". We always talk about the volunteers who deploy across the country in times of major disasters, or our Disaster Action Team volunteers who respond to the scene of a fire in the middle of night. But even if you don't have the time or desire to join them, you can still help the Red Cross in ways you may not have even thought of! Whether it's welcoming our clients at the front desk, initiating emergency communications with a member of our military, or even telling the Red Cross story on social media, volunteers are the lifeblood of this organization, and we have an opportunity for everyone.

So even if you didn't know what the word "selfie" meant before reading this blog, resolving to volunteer is a great way to give back to the community in 2014. And on behalf of everyone at the American Red Cross, we want to thank all of our volunteers, staff and supporters for everything you've done in 2013, and we look forward to an even better 2014!!

Giving Something That Means Something

Pi Lamba Phi members Matt Weisbaeck
and Connor Reale

It's been a while since we've put up a new post. Truth is we've been busy throughout the Region. Take this week in Buffalo, Rochester and the Southern Tier, for example. But this is the holiday season, when we encourage everyone to Give Something that Means Something, so as a gift to you we wanted to share the story of some college students learning to do just that.

Pi Lambda Phi member Lee Harmon

The University at Buffalo Chapter of Pi Lambda Phi saw the devastation caused by the recent typhoon in the Philippines and wanted to help. So earlier this month, they asked for donations and sold coffee and baked goods to raise money to support the relief efforts. But of course, this is a fraternity, so they had to do something a little different. They hosted a "Pie a Pi Lam" event, in which they allowed people to hit them in the face with whipped cream pies for donations. All told, Pi Lambda Phi exceeded their $500 fundraising goal, donating a total of $640 to support the Red Cross relief efforts in the Philippines.

UB Pi lambda Phi Chapter President
John Namnum

This, of course, is just example of the generosity shown by people here in the Western New York/Finger Lakes regions following Typhoon Haiyan and throughout the year. Because you Give Something That Means Something, we can support our neighbors in need down the street, across the country and around the world. Thank you!