GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - People have come from all over the country to Gridley, California to help set up FEMA homes for survivors of the Paradise area Camp Fire. Now, 302 new, state of the art, temporary housing trailers are onsite, and are being modified as needed to fit the handicapped and ambulatory needs of their new residents. Some are elders, some are physically limited, and some are families old and young, with and without children, who are moving to Gridley to be our new neighbors.

All have been traumatized. All are financially struggling. Some have been relying on the kindness of friends and family to provide them with shelter since last November’s tragedy—bouncing all over the state and some all over the country until they can figure out what they need to get back on track. These are not the folks who have large insurance policies that will rebuild or rehome themselves in style. These are our elders, our renters, our struggling families who live month to month on social security payments, minimum wage jobs, and as caretakers of other family members.

No matter what their backgrounds, they all have several things in common. They have nowhere else to permanently live at this time and very limited options, but they do have a team of dedicated professionals from all over the nation, and local volunteers and organizations who are working hard to normalize their lives. They work to provide housing, and a safe, secure, and welcoming area for them to rest and recover, along with a safe haven to get their lives back in order.

It takes quite a team to do so, and FEMA workers are used to the long and thankless work hours devastating tragedies demand. At the start all experience 12-16 hour days, 7 days a week, separation from home and family, and the discomfort of moving from place to place and disaster to disaster. It takes a special kind of person, and a special kind of compassion to work month after month, and year after year in these environments. The workers are from both our local area, and come to disasters from across the nation.

For instance:

Security Officer Kevin Haywood sits for hours in the heat while greeting visitors and the curious, also securing the site from those with more nefarious ambitions. After 26 years in the State Police and Highway Patrol out of Oroville, he now works for Elite Universal Security. He and his colleagues are on sight to minimize chances of theft, vandalism and trespass, but Mr. Haywood has a much more inspiring message to share:

“There have been no incidents! No trouble! No thefts! And, we have been an injury-free worksite from the start. It has been wonderful to work here, and to help FEMA get this place in order for the new residents. I love my work here. I really like working with these wonderful people, and we are doing good. That’s important.”

The powerhouse trio of Joe D’Angelo, Deputy Logistics Chief; Jim Allen, Congressional Affairs Liaison; and the wonderful Michael Peacock, External Affairs Advisor, all provide information to local, regional and government officials, to the press, and the public—as well as carry on their day-to-day responsibilities of building, rehoming, interviewing, and managing staff, while working with other construction and FEMA workers in 100-110 degree heat, in inhospitable construction zones.

Michael Peacock has been at many major tragedies since 2005, when with a background in financial planning he started doing teamwork through the Small Business Administration and FEMA partnerships: setting up shop, while disasters were still ongoing, to immediately address the needs of both impacted residents and devastated businesses during environmental tragedies.

“I travel... a lot”, Mike said.  “I live in Georgia, and my wife and I switch off every 60 days. I go visit her, and she comes to visit me.” Mike has worked at so many major disaster sites in the past years that as he tried to recall, they all seemed to blend together for him, and time and dates did not seem so important.

He worked in Texas for Hurricane Harvey; Georgia for Hurricane Michael, Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge Tennessee for the Gatlinburg Fire; Florida for Hurricane Matthew; Mississippi for Hurricane Katrina; and Paradise and Gridley for the Camp Fire are just some of the sites he recalled. But when asked if he had a lot of trouble during these times, with negative responses to rehoming the homeless in times of tragedy, this very kind and obviously gentle and dedicated man looked quietly and said:

“After disasters we tend to see more of the good side of people and communities, because they band together to help those in need, and work hard to help their neighbors recover from devastation... no matter their backgrounds. It makes our work even more rewarding and worthwhile.”

Our communities owe a great deal of gratitude and respect to the workers, and the many local, regional and nationwide volunteers giving of themselves and their families to help here in times of national disaster and recovery. Thank you all…