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OUR KIND OF PEOPLE: Kern County public health nurses volunteer to help residents affected by Carr Fire

The Bakersfield Californian - 8/3/2018

Aug. 03--As of Thursday morning, the devastating and deadly Carr Fire had burned more than 125,000 acres in Shasta and Trinity counties, making it the sixth most destructive fire in California history, according to the New York Times.

The Carr Fire has exhausted it's resources. That's why there was a request put in for help from neighboring counties.

On Sunday night, the state called for 40 nurses to volunteer to help the residents affected by the fire, and on Monday morning, four Kern County public health nurses volunteered to immediately leave for 10 days to assist.

"They are just our little heroes," said Public Health spokeswoman Michelle Corson.

So Elaine Anthony, Tina Minton, Monica Rodriguez and Stephanie Mendez packed up as fast as they could and headed out to Shasta County, where they are providing aid at a shelter at Shasta College.

There were nearly 600 residents seeking aid from the shelter when the nurses first arrived Monday, according to Elaine Anthony, and as of Wednesday, about 100 were still at the shelter.

The nurses have been working 12-hour shifts, according to a Facebook post, doing assessments on the residents, making sure they are healthy, administering necessary medication and more.

"Some of the (residents) wanted to leave, but have no place to go," Anthony said.

Since their arrival, Anthony said the residents have been nothing but grateful and appreciative.

While eating dinner at a restaurant, the nurses' server noticed they were from Kern County and thanked them for their help. A patient that especially impacted Anthony was a wheelchair-bound man who wouldn't stop thanking her for all she has done for him.

Not only have the local nurses experienced the gratitude of the county, but they have also seen how strong the community is.

Anthony said there are a couple of staff members helping at the shelter who have lost everything, including their homes. Despite that, they are still working to bring peace to those in need.

Anthony said she wanted to help because she saw the need locally when the Erskine Fire hit Kern County in 2016.

"That's why I wanted to be helpful," she said.

Corson said many of the public health nurses, including Anthony, staffed shelters during the Erskine Fire.

"We have felt that as a community," Corson said of the pain and suffering a fire can cause a community.

Helping out is the neighborly thing to do, because "when we had trouble, people came and helped us," Corson said. "We are so proud of our folks that get called away and jump to volunteer. It makes us proud."

As of Thursday morning, the Carr Fire was 35 percent contained, according to Cal Fire officials. It has claimed six lives, including two firefighters, and destroyed more than 1,200 structures.

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(c)2018 The Bakersfield Californian (Bakersfield, Calif.)

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