By Violet Chazkel
Last year, trained American Red Cross Disaster Action Team members responded to nearly 70,000 fire-related disasters, helping individuals and communities at the scene when they face a home fire and begin recovering from the devastating outcomes.
On June 19th, 2022, Karl Cunningham and his wife, Sheryl Freeman-Cunningham of Boulder, Colorado encountered their first home fire, and the Red Cross was there to help.
It was around 6 pm when Karl finished an afternoon of working in his basement where he does electronic research. He and Sheryl were spending the evening watching some TV when they heard what sounded like gunshots.
They got up to see what was going on and by the time Karl got to the kitchen, it was full of smoke. After Karl called the fire department, the first responders helped find Karl and Sheryl’s dog and cat.
When the Red Cross volunteer arrived at the scene, all Karl and Sheryl had were the clothes on their backs. The volunteer brought them clothes, shoes, and blankets.
The first responders noticed Karl’s research equipment and became suspicious that there was a pipe bomb in his home.
“All of a sudden, I’m public enemy number one,” Karl said. The police, Homeland Security, media outlets, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were called to Karl’s home.
As the authorities were searching their home, Karl and Sheryl didn’t know what to do or what was going on. Without much of an explanation, Karl and Sheryl were taken downtown to the police station for questioning. “It was a mess all night,” Karl shared.
Karl explained that the greatest gift the Red Cross volunteer gave to him and Sheryl was providing information and comfort throughout an extremely distressing time.
“He consoled us and told us what was happening,” Karl said, sharing his gratitude for the volunteer who helped them navigate the situation.
Karl said that he learned a lot from this experience, and he encourages others to reach out to the Red Cross for support if they find themselves in a similar situation.
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help,” he said.
By responding quickly, American Red Cross volunteers provide support, and resources, bringing hope and comfort to those in difficult situations.
Learn more about home fire prevention here.