By: Yzeppa Macias , American of Red Cross Public Affairs
The American Red Cross is on the ground in Colorado providing comfort and support in response to the Marshall Fire — the state’s most destructive wildfire in history — which forced the evacuation of some 35,000 people and destroyed nearly 1,000 homes.
Many community members affected by the Marshall Fire stayed at the Red Cross shelter at the YMCA in in Lafayette Colorado, where Red Cross volunteers worked with Boulder County and community groups to provide a safe place to sleep, hot meals, mental health and health care, support and resources.
AJ Jamal arrived an hour shy of New Year’s Eve as part of the mass care team to aide with the sheltering process. He was one of over 80 volunteers, some of which had to evacuate their own homes to help provide a safe space and emotional support for others. Since December 30, the shelter has provided nearly 350 overnight stays to evacuees.
Jamal has deployed four times with the Red Cross since October 2020 and said he has met lifelong friends working with the Red Cross after pursuing humanitarian work to find “his purpose in life.”
“The beginning of every DR [disaster response] is rough,” he said, “- until you get a procedure, until you get things in place.”
After deploying from Chicago, Jamal worked with other volunteers to ensure victims of the fire were taken care of. “Nobody is going to be forgotten,” he said of the remaining evacuees. The Red Cross is working very closely with the entire response community — government agencies, community groups and others — to coordinate emergency relief and recovery efforts. We will stay as long as we are needed.
The fast-moving Marshall Fire is the latest example of an extreme weather event prompting thousands of people to flee their homes and seek Red Cross support — this time months after the regular wildfire season ended.
You can help people affected by disasters like fires and countless other crises by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift is a commitment to helping people in need and every donation matters. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.