The devil in the fire...
This photo, taken in November 1, 2002 shows the salon I
worked in burning to the ground. A speeding vehicle had plunged into the
building as the driver swerved to pass a car on the highway and completely missed the mark. By the time I arrived at the scene, the last flames were
being extinguished and the realization that we had no building to work in,
no tools to work with and suddenly, no income, were slowly sinking in. We did
not even know which clients were on the books for the coming week. The appointment books,
the contact numbers, everything went up in smoke. Gratefully the one stylist that was
supposed to be working that night, her client had cancelled, so the building was
empty. The driver found himself in the middle of the salon, got out of the car
and escaped without injury before the series of explosions occurred from the igniting hair product chemicals and
hairspray cans.
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| Linden Salon Fire - 2002 |
If you look very closely at the picture, you will see an image
present in the flames. There is an old
Fire House phenomenon that when Fire Crews come upon a fire, there is often
an image of the devil within the flames. This photograph was the second of a
series of three photos taken that night in 2002, and seeing it gave us the chills….
Realizations of loss took days - and even weeks to process - as we
quickly sprang into action finding a salon in a neighboring town to take us in,
gathering basic hair equipment, doing what we could to secure licensing….
Having proper paperwork in order was impossible, we did the best we could and
just kept going, knowing the loss could have been worse if it was our homes or if
anyone had been working in the building when the fire occurred.
I will not even pretend this experience compares to the
current situation of then Camp Fire Victims in California – or any other fire victim
that lost homes, their home town, or loved ones. The purpose of me finally
recording these events – 16 years later - is to share some of the “take always”
that it took years for me to process.
It. Changes. You.
Surviving any tragedy resulting from any level of fire destruction is a traumatic event. It is a major marker on your Life Calendar,
you will refer to things that happen over time by referencing, “before the
fire,”, or “after the fire”. As you journey through the following days, weeks, months, you will become more tolerant of change and more compassionate of those around you. The support of community, the sharing of your experience is helpful throughout. You value things differently. You value
LIFE differently… It changes you forever.
Recovery Processes
Once that devil of the fire is finally put out, there is a
long road ahead for the processes to evolve.
I pluralize "process" because there are many factors to pay attention to,
and you cannot possible take them all on immediately. There are many side stories to my own ordeal,
and there will be many for so many California
fire victims.
Protecting your health is your number one priority, you cannot
possibly be of help and support to so many suffering around you if you become
sick and needy yourself, this goes for anyone working on relief efforts as
well. To do this, it is essential to
prioritize establishing a routine, taking your medications, get your eating and sleeping
under control, protecting yourself from smoke exposure, etc... Please address any trauma issues you might be experiencing., Seek out
Crisis Counseling services, talk about it, write about it, cut yourself slack
for forgetfulness as you take in the overwhelming amount of information that
comes your way.
No Short Cuts
For the relatively short time a fire burns, there is no short cut to getting back on your feet. Expect to take time with this entire process. The tedious job of identifying and valuing
each little item that you lost is painful and overwhelming. Most of us want to stick out heads in the
sand, and be done with the tragic experience. We want to magically feel normal
again, put the whole memory behind us. There are many reports from fire victims
that it takes 18 months to 2 years to reach a recovered state, materially and
emotionally. It is especially difficult to live through this time period with
so much uncertainty about the final outcome.
Filling out forms, securing temporary housing, searching out
resources and all the while protecting your health from the lack of routine,
sleep issues, stress trauma, is so important though daunting. Take baby steps as you
can. Try not to think about everything at once, easier said than done. As you
chip away at each recovery task at hand, be clear on prioritizing which things
to attend to first. This is especially important when it comes to financial
assistance and working the insurance claims.
Insurance Adjusters
are Humans
We heard a lot of awful “insurance adjuster” stories when
our salon burned down, but also acquired some awesome support and knowledge from
our clients as we moved through the process of an insurance settlement. This took many
months and I am clear that every situation can be very different. Gratefully, I saw that a retired Insurance Agent recently
came forward in one of the Facebook Groups for Camp Fire Victims offering this
same advice. You can read his words here.
It is so important to remember that the professionals you
are dealing with, (even as they try to devalue Aunt Mable’s precious wedding
ring that you lost in the fire) are human beings with a job to do. Be kind, courteous, and business like. Try not to let your emotions rule. However, do argue the
value of each and every possession as it is warranted for your case. Do NOT be in a hurry to “settle” quickly for
you will be remembering forgotten items for many months to come. Be fair and honest but do allow for the fact
that, most likely, you are not able to list full value on everything you own.
To wrestle “the devil in the fire” takes time on every
level, emotionally, physically, and - from a business perspective. This is your
new job now... resolve to do it well. Your future financial security, AND your general well being count on
your willingness to be alert and find the ability to chip away at the many
tasks you will be facing.
There will be little blessings along the way… acknowledge
them, look for them, expect them. Once you find yourself on a better side of
this whole process, and surrounded by your shiny, new possessions, take the
time to love the level of gratitude you have learned through the entire
experience. You so deserve every level of comfort that awaits you!
