On a sweltering July afternoon that had temperatures reach triple digits Jenson Shoaf, 18, and his dog Amber sought refuge at Los Coches Creek Middle School.
But it wasn’t the heat Shoaf was escaping. He and other East County residents were visiting the school gymnasium because that is where the Red Cross had established a temporary evacuation center for people fleeing the West Fire which ravaged parts of Alpine.
As of Wednesday morning the July 6 brush fire had been 100 percent contained, but not before 34 homes had been destroyed.
On a sweltering July afternoon that had temperatures reach triple digits Jenson Shoaf, 18, and his dog Amber sought refuge at Los Coches Creek Middle School.
But it wasn’t the heat Shoaf was escaping. He and other East County residents were visiting the school gymnasium because that is where the Red Cross had established a temporary evacuation center for people fleeing the West Fire which ravaged parts of Alpine.
As of Wednesday morning the July 6 brush fire had been 100 percent contained, but not before 34 homes had been destroyed.
The gym, set up with cots, food, water, and services, helped individuals and families regroup or rest after having been told by authorities to evacuate the foothills community.
Shoaf stayed in a side room set up for pet owners that had pet food and supplies and cots next to their pets’ crates.
“We were notified at 1 p.m. and we opened in two hours. We started getting our canteen team ready,” said Emily Cox, regional communications director for the American Red Cross.
Like Shoaf, Amber Coy, her son and daughter, and individuals like Teresa Luck and her boyfriend, Juan Izael, also utilized the Red Cross’ services that included a meal and a place to rest or sleep.
Shoaf described the atmosphere at his home as he prepared to leave his Alpine home.
“It was chaos. Friends came over to get stuff out. Dogs, cats, donkeys, parrots were running around,” said Shoaf, who lives on Sage View Drive. “We could see the fire straight in front of us.”
He also said he saw looters who, he said he was told, were later apprehended by law enforcement.
According to Cox the American Red Cross have trailers that are located throughout the county.
During times of emergency the trailers are dispatched to areas as needed.
“We’re able to pull our supplies out of the trailers,” she said. “Our services also include spirit care, a shelter team, and feeding teams,” she said. There were 70 volunteers utilized for this center, seven of which were paid staff. Residents left as evacuation orders were lifted or they found other places to stay.
“We served almost 100 people at the evacuation site. There were a number of individuals who stayed the night or just came in for services,” Cox said.
“We had 22 animals come through; nine dogs, eight cats, and five birds,” said San Diego Humane Society’s Carol Spychalski, with the who oversaw the room for housing and caring for pets and their owners.