Saturday had yet to surprise me. DD’s been sick (ear infection, congestion, sniffles), and now C was sick too (congestion, sniffles). So I spent a good part of the afternoon chasing C around, in the hopes of keeping her down so she could get better.
It must’ve been around 430 when I got to the point of trusting she’d stay down long enough for me to either fire up the snow blower, or get to the basement and do some sawing for another project. I decided sawing was in order. I went out to the garage to get some supplies, and heard the sirens. Now back in Chicago, sirens were no big deal. But I’ve learned that’s the opposite here. My family is prone to injury lately. So when I hear sirens, I typically wait for the call to find out who’s going in, and what for.
The call came at 443pm from Oz. I listened from downstairs to catch C’s reaction (if she panics, go into flight mode). I hear no panic, so I keep setting things up. Then she yells down for me to come up. Uh oh.
My first words are “who’s going in?”. Thankfully, she just wants me to watch dd while she goes with her mom to check out the fire at the local “Independent Living Center”, Park Manor. Oz calls back a few minutes later. Change of plans.
What we thought would be a minor fire has turned into 3 alarms. Folks are standing outside (many elderly), in the snow watching their home burn. We need to transport them to City Hall, 1/2 mile away. I hop in my car and head to Oz’s mom’s house to grab the van. C bundles dd up, and hops in the truck. I make it there about the same time C does. She had the foresight to grab every blanket in the house.
Firetrucks, Ambulances and Police cars are everywhere. Flames are dancing out of the roof. Residents stand on the street, watching in shock. I grab a few blankets and wrap up a few folks (well, first I smile and do the obligatory "shove” of the blanket, like saying “here, I’m harmless”). We help get people into various vans and SUVs that have all come together to help. At some point during all of this, dd is dropped off at Great Aunt MT’s house.
But the time I make it back up to City Hall, everyone is huddled in one of the meeting rooms, wrapped up in blankets and sipping coffee or drinking water. C starts asking what we should do for food. Do we call Food and Fuel (they’ve always been helpful in the past)? Do we call Fred’s? We hear Red Cross is en route, but won’t be in for at least 45 minutes. As we’re working out the details, someone from Edel’s Meat Market pops in to ask what he should bring. Someone else figured that many of the elderly residents lost their medications in the fire, so S from Hermann Drug shows up to take orders
A call to Fred’s was made to order up some chicken. By 630, C and I have picked up the chicken, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy. There’s also a request from CP to bring the firefighters some water, coffee and pop. So after dropping the chicken off, we head up to deliver. By now, the fire is somewhat under control. About 2/3’s of the east wing’s roof is gone.
After the delivery, we head back up to City Hall to help more. I head up to Fred’s again with a list for RP, drop that off and make it back. C and Oz decided that dd should be home. So we hop in the truck and car, go pick dd up from MT’s, and come home. After tucking her in, c heads back up to City Hall to lend support to Oz, who will be there all night, running the scene from behind the curtain. As much as I want to be there instead of C, I understand that she will do far better in there than I.
With all the “me first” attitudes we see these days, its refreshing to know that we still have communities that help one another out. It filled me with pride, to see how quickly this town pulled together to help those in need. Warmth, nourishment, shelter and support; all provided without ever asking.
From what I understand: as of 1015PM, all 43 residents have been accounted for, with no injuries. 2 Firefighers were injured, but nothing life threatening: a sprained ankle for one, and various scrapes and scratches for another when the roof caved in on him.
I tell you folks, I am damn proud of our little city here.
A very special thanks to:
- Mayor Mick McGuire for being right there, in the thick of it, from the first sirens. The news might show him inside City Hall, warm and cozy. But we saw him on the curb, directing people, standing in the water.
- Oz, for being there right after Mick, running the logistics of everything, without ever having socks on.
- Montgomery Area Fire Department, Emergency Services, and Police Department for doing all they do.
- New Prague, Kilkenny, and Le Center Fire Departments.
- All City Office employees for their support.
- Edel’s Meat Market and Fred’s IGA.
Most of all, I would like to thank the selfless volunteers of the City of Montgomery who were there to help in every way possible. Its folks like you who make our community a true Community.
News reports:
UPDATE 2009.02.25 – I heard from Oz this morning on the ride into work. Overnight, the west wing to the building caught fire. New Prague and Le Center were called out again, and the fire was under control by 0400. Thankfully, there were no reported injuries.
More info here: CityOfMontgomeryMN.com
And we’ll all have the answers for her. She knows the big band music pretty well 
