# @americanredcross on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl85LWZuCZZ
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/72592015-americanredcross-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/0145681987.jpg
- **Posted:** 2022-12-09T15:01:11.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** American Red Cross (@americanredcross) — https://gondola.cc/americanredcross

## Caption

“We all watch movies and TV shows, and we see on the news how others are affected by home fires. You never expect it to happen to you. When it does, it’s surreal.”

At 1 a.m. on a Thursday night, Paula woke up in pitch blackness to a beeping sound and a strange crackling noise coming from the ceiling. It was when she walked outside that she discovered smoke coming from the roof of her home — she quickly sprang into action and started alerting everyone about the fire. 

“I usually watch my tablet in bed and wear headphones so as to not interrupt my husband’s sleep since he wakes up very early to go to work,” she said. “On that night, I don’t know why I put my device away and I never put my headphones on which now — what a blessing I didn’t because I was able to warn everyone about the fire.”

The crackling sound turned out to be an electrical fire that started in her attic and the beeping was her mother’s oxygen machine losing its source of power. The hours following the home fire were a blur — while resting at her aunt’s house, Paula’s sister suggested she contact the Red Cross for help.

Within hours, a RedCrossIL caseworker met with her at her home. “I was so grateful to have them there. She stayed the entire time and walked me through next steps,” Paula remembered. “My family and I were at a complete loss. We had no idea where to start. How does one begin to recover from a house fire?”

“The Red Cross helped get my mother’s and son’s prescriptions refilled. They gave me a voucher to replace my glasses, and through funds provided by the Red Cross, we found a hotel that has been incredibly kind and generous and even welcomed our beloved dog.

The holidays are coming up and we have a tight-knit family and groups of friends, and we will celebrate and give thanks together. As for Christmas, we don’t want gifts. We have asked our family and friends to instead, donate to the American Red Cross. There will be other families in the same situation we found ourselves in and we want to make sure we pay it forward.”

#RedCross #HomeFire #EndHomeFires

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 174
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 5

## Tags

endhomefires, homefire, redcross

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