American Red Cross Responds to Apartment Fire in Connecticut
Waterbury, Connecticut – The American Red Cross is responding to a condominium complex on Waterville Road in Waterbury. The Red Cross is providing temporary lodging and financial assistance for emergency clothing and food needs to 16 people – 12 adults and four children – who were displaced by the early morning fire.
The Red Cross is also providing comfort kits, containing age and gender appropriate personal care items such as toothbrushes, deodorant, shaving supplies and other items a family might not have been able to gather in the rush to escape the fire. Children’s’ kits include coloring supplies and a stuffed toy.
The comfort kits are assembled and donated by Clean Sweep Restoration Services of New England, LLC, an emergency clean-up and restoration services company located in Wallingford, Connecticut. Clean Sweep has been building and donating kits to the Red Cross in Connecticut for nearly a year, making them available for the Red Cross to use in the nearly 500 fires it responds to each year.
The Red Cross remains on the scene, providing canteen service to emergency responders and to residents who remained on scene during the response. The Red Cross has served beverages and snacks to approximately 75 people so far.
Canteen service is provided on request of local emergency or fire officials. The Red Cross offers hot and cold beverages and snacks to firefighters and other first responders, as well as to building residents who remain at the scene. “We offer this service to help responders and building residents stay hydrated and keep their energy and spirits up during what can be long and difficult hours,” said American Red Cross Connecticut Chapter spokesman Paul Shipman. “Many building residents were likely forced quickly from their homes very early this morning without anything to eat, and firefighters are working very hard at the scene. This service helps to provide a small measure of comfort to both groups.”
