General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI was watching the news of the western wildfires this evening
seeing all those folks who have had their homes burned out makes me very said.
As one who had to jump off of the roof of my house which burned to the ground and lost everything, I can relate. This won't be over for them for a while. It won't end a year from now, two years from now, three years from now, five years from now...
for the first 3-5 years many times we turned around to get something, we realized it was gone. The last time that happened was 13 years after the fire, it was a turkey baster.
So if you know some one who was burned out, as you journey with them and help them, remember to check on them a year from now, two years from now, 3 years from now. And remember, I am just talking about things. There is long term emotional damage also. For years we couldn't have a fire in the fireplace, just smelling smoke from the outside would trigger fear...this will take time to heal,,, remember them
Hekate
(90,793 posts)PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,895 posts)I cannot begin to imagine losing everything.
I look around my small home and think, I've really got to cull a bunch of stuff. And trust me, I'm not a hoarder. It's just that like a lot of older people (I'm 72) I have more things than I need. But that's thinking in terms of I get to choose what to let go of and what to keep. Fire takes that choice completely away.
gopiscrap
(23,765 posts)MaryMagdaline
(6,856 posts)Youve helped me realize what people go through. Our childhood friend just went through this in fire lake California
I texted her sister. They are living in a camper. House is down to just the chimney.
Heartbreaking.
Im sorry you had to go through this
marlakay
(11,491 posts)3 years ago and it has changed her. She lost everything, had no renters insurance. She only had time to grab her purse. She used to have a great collection of scarves and costume jewelry and great outfits she wore to work. She is a manager of 300 employees. I bought her some suits, blouses and other stuff after but 3 yrs later it's like she lost her style and can't get it back.
She stayed with this boyfriend who she was ready to break up with because she felt sorry he lost everything. Guy doesn't even work.
Yes fires change you. She moved from the hills in Santa Rosa where house burnt to a condo across from police station in next town. Said she feels safer.
denbot
(9,901 posts)She was fanatical about fire safety for the rest of her life.
Warpy
(111,339 posts)although some self styled revolutionaries tried to set fire to one place, but that's another story.
Buildings in Boston were total firetraps, often with inadequate fire escapes. If there's a smell of smoke from outside, I'll be standing next to my bed with my shoes on before I wake up. This is decades after I left the city.
I've been waking up a lot this year standing next to my bed with my shoes on.
KT2000
(20,587 posts)These devastated people will disappear from our media but their suffering will live on. I once read that a study showed people who lose everything in a disaster do not really make their way back completely. For so many it was a lifetime of building their lives. I saw so many older people and cannot imagine how they can start over. I hope they have the help they need. We can donate money and things but the effort it will take will be enormous.
LiberalLoner
(9,762 posts)Our house burned down while we were on vacation, from a lightning strike, almost twenty years ago now. What you said about looking for something you used to have and realizing you dont have it anymore is so so true.