by Carol Grinage, volunteer contributor, American Red Cross North Texas Region

The Red Cross doesn’t just help in national disasters; it also helps with local disasters. Most recently, the American Red Cross helped after an apartment fire in Lubbock, Texas.

Kristyle Crawford tells of how the Red Cross helped her when the apartment complex in which she lives experienced a fire that resulted in two deaths and some injuries.

Crawford’s contact with the Red Cross occurred on a Sunday after a fire in one of the apartment buildings in her complex. She points out that the fire was not in the building in which she lived, but the fire lead to the entire complex losing electricity.

It is in cases like this that people wonder: What do we do? Where do we live? Who will help us?

That is when the Red Cross steps in to help.

Crawford explains that everyone had to evacuate the complex while the fire was being put out. When she returned to the complex, Crawford found the complex taped off and no one was allowed to enter. A spokesperson for the fire department stood outside and gave residents contact information for the Red Cross. For Crawford, this was a Godsend because she has been out of work since March 13 due to the pandemic.

Once she was given the contact number, Crawford immediately contacted the Red Cross, and she and her family were put in a Motel 6 overnight. The next day, they were moved to a Red Roof Inn where they stayed for the rest of the week. Crawford said that not only did the Red Cross provide them with a place to live, they also provided them with food.

“They did not have to do this, but they did,” states Crawford as she recalls the Red Cross caseworker who helped them.

Crawford says the caseworker made “sure we were okay” and “brought us lunch and dinner” and put money on a card for us.

“She made sure we were comfortable,” Crawford says.

At the end of that week, Crawford returned to her apartment complex but to a different unit.

Looking back at what happened, Crawford says, “I’m very grateful the Red Cross was there, and no one else was hurt.”

Interested in learning how you can support your neighbors after one of these devastating events? Visit us online at redcross.org for information on donating time or money to make a difference in the lives of people when they need it most.