By: Sophie Kluthe

As firefighters were still working to extinguish hot spots, Red Cross disaster workers were already in full swing of a disaster response operation late last week when a large apartment fire in North Coventry, Chester County, displaced approximately 150 people. 

After getting the call from the fire department the night of Thursday, June 30, Red Cross disaster teams immediately started coordinating to get volunteers Janice Thomas and Elizabeth Stinson out to the area to start meeting with displaced residents, and coordinating with local agencies for the recovery effort as other Red Cross disaster workers arrived to help. The team set up at the nearby Norco Fire Station, where residents started to trickle in.  

While some volunteers met with residents to create a list of urgent medications that needed to be replaced, others worked on a plan to provide temporary lodging, and find out how many people needed a place to stay the night. A shelter team quickly set up at an area hotel to get ready to welcome displaced residents, with the Red Cross providing emergency shelter for dozens of people.  

The Red Cross has COVID-19 specific precautions in place to ensure safety remains top priority, including individual hotel rooms to allow for better social distancing between families. In addition to providing a safe place to spend the night, Red Cross volunteers also screened those entering the hotel for symptoms of COVID-19, and distributed masks. In total, more than 90 people from this fire have received Red Cross recovery assistance. 

The Red Cross has been working with other local community organizations to help plan for the long term recovery of those displaced.