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Red Cross
helps families after fires
BY KELLY KRAMP
ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
HIGH POINT – The High Point-Thomasville
chapter of the American Red Cross is helping three area families who were
burned out of their homes Saturday.
But the assistance from the Red
Cross isn’t what it used to be.
On Saturday the Red Cross
instituted a new initiative, mandated by the agency’s national headquarters,
that replaces the vouchers traditionally given to families after disasters
with a prepaid debit c a rd .
The residents of 1111 Hillcrest Drive in Thomasville and 300-A and 300B Phillips Ave. in High Point are the first to receive the
cards locally.
A fast-spreading grease fire is blamed
for the fire in Thomasville
which destroyed the home, according to the Pilot Fire Department.
The fire at 300-B Phillips Ave. started in an
upstairs bedroom of the duplex.
Tommy Reid, battalion chief with the
High Point Fire Department, said that unit was extensively damaged
and the adjoining unit received some smoke damage.
The cause of that fire remains
under investigation. No one was injured in either f i
re.
The debit card can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted, and gives disaster
victims more flexibility to get back on their feet after a disaster, said
Darrell Hill, director of Emergency Services for the High Point
Thomasville chapter.
“We provide assistance and they shop
where they want to shop, whereas before we issued (vouchers) for
specific stores,” Hill said.
The cards, he said, can be used to
purchase anything except drugs, alcohol or weapons. Through a
computer program, the Red Cross, can monitor where the cards are used. Though
some misuse of the cards is expected, Hill said, it eliminates the
possibility of a duplication in services from nearby
chapters and reduces paperwork involved in getting aid to victims.
“It’s just a good system,” Hill
said. “The client is responsible for their recovery. We provide them funds
based on national guidelines, but the client is responsible for their
recovery.” The cards were one of several changes made to disaster response
as a result of Hurricane Katrina.
kkramp@hpe.com |888-3536
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