Red Cross Helps Cleveland Family Displaced by Fire

Posted on November 16, 2016 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Children Receive Stuffed Toys to Help Them Through Crisis

Cara Hunt was at home with her three young children when their upstairs caught fire in September.

The Cleveland family escaped unharmed, but the fire stripped them of their basic necessities and left them with no place to sleep.

As firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze, two American Red Cross workers responded to offer relief. They gave each child a stuffed animal toy to help calm their fears, and provided financial assistance to cover temporary lodging for the family, whose home was deemed unlivable.

Cleveland Fire Battalion Captain Chris Posante, who connected Hunt with the Red Cross workers, underscored the importance of this support.

Red Cross worker Mark Cline offers assistance to resident Cara Hunt

“These are good people who are suffering through no fault of their own,” Posante said. “The help you give them is much needed.”

You can help people who have been driven from their homes by fire when you donate to Red Cross Disaster Relief, at redcross.org/donate, or by calling 1-800 RED CROSS. You can also text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Red Cross worker Jeremy Bayer offers stuffed toys to children driven from their home by fire

Eight-year-old honored for saving sister life

Posted on May 18, 2015 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Trinity holds her sister, Londyn, at the school’s assembly in her honor.

On a cold night in March, 8-year-old Trinity Seymour woke to the sound of a blaring smoke detector. The piercing sound of several smoke alarms was scary to her 3-year-old sister, Londyn who had run into their shared closet while covering her ears. The family had recently moved into the apartment building, however, Trinity’s grandfather, Scott Bentley would not allow his daughter’s family to move in until he purchased and installed three smoke detectors.

Trinity knew what to do.

Red Cross staff member, Tim Reichel, had recently spoken at her school about fire safety. “Stay calm,” Trinity thought to herself. “Get Londyn and get out of here!” Trinity went to the closet, consoled Londyn, picked her up and calmly exited the home. “Mr. Tim says you should stand very far away from the burning building so I told everyone to stand across the street.” The Navarre Fire Department quickly responded to the apartment fire that displaced four families. The Red Cross was on the scene and provided bedding, clothing, shoes and seasonal clothing to all the families. In addition, Red Cross volunteers consoled the distraught families and provided much needed hugs and emotional support.

Navarre apartment fire. Everyone escaped without injury

A week later, Tim received an email from Trinity’s teacher, Holly Charton. After explaining Trinity’s home fire and her heroic act in rescuing her sister, Ms. Charton explained, “Her grandpa told me that someone at our school did a fabulous job teaching her what do when there is a fire. I told him that person was Mr. Tim from the Red Cross!”

Tim Reichel fist bumps a Fairless Elementary student.

On March 14, 2015 the Fairless Elementary school held a school assembly to honor Trinity. As a surprise, her family was there as she received the Certificate of Recognition for Extraordinary Action from the Red Cross and an award from the Navarre Fire Department. Her story appeared on the front page of the Massillon Independent and on Channel 5 news in Cleveland. At the assembly Grandfather Scott Bentley thanked the school and the Red Cross for educating the students on fire safety. “Smoke detectors do save lives,” said Bentley. “After the fire, I stood in the closet where Londyn hid and nothing survived that fire. Thank god my little girls knew what to do and got out!” Although Trinity is very shy and was overwhelmed with the attention, she did wear her Red Cross medal for the rest of the school day.