PG&E, Red Cross and Non-Profits Step Up to Provide Services to Affected Residents

While many residents have returned home to the Crestmoor neighborhood affected by the fire, San Bruno and neighboring community organizations have not stopped their volunteer efforts.

At the Veterans Memorial Recreation Center, 18 organizations have come together to create a location assistance center.

Red Cross External Relations Officer Madelyn Mackie said this "one-stop shop" will continue until Wednesday, when they will move to another to-be-determined location.

"Just like the mayor said, we are here to hold residents' hands every step of the way," Mackie said. "If they can only do one stop at a time, we'll help them get their driver's license today. Then if they want, they can come in for their passport tomorrow."

With the multiple stations and the abundance of free food outdoors, the local assistance center resembles a street fair. Volunteers outnumber the clients. And even though she didn't want to, Recreation Services Manager Danielle Brewer said she had to turn away volunteers because there was so much aid.

"The response was overwhelming," Brewer said. "Even after I turned them away, they just stuck around trying to help in any way possible."

In bright neon orange vests, a team of Pacific Gas & Electric Co. claims specialists was on site doing everything from serving food to offering compensation in $15,000, $25,000 and $50,000 amounts in addition to claims with "no questions asked," PG&E representative Nicole Liebelt said.

Liebelt added that PG&E plans to provide $400,000 in pre-paid debit cards, rental vehicles and hotel rooms. They created a $1 million charitable fund to help organizations like the Red Cross, United Way and Blood Centers of the Pacific continue aid to the city. On Monday, the utility created a "Rebuild San Bruno" fund of $100 million and provided a $3 million check to the city to repair damages.

Displaced resident Maura G., who requested her last name not be printed, said PG&E gave her $1,000 immediately and rented her a car for a week since the explosion completely destroyed hers. But she said it was the community coming together that really surprised her.

"People were bending over backward for me," Maura said. "I never thought of San Bruno as that small of a community, but everyone's come together to help out."

Maura said when her son's Lawler's Tae Kwon Do class found out that he had lost his sparring gear in the fire, they all wanted to make sure he got his gear back.

"A family who was trying to sell their house took it off the market and said we could stay there as long as we needed," Maura said. "And it was completely stocked!"

St. Robert's Catholic Church, Church of the Highlands, Scientology Volunteer Ministers and the First Baptist Church have been at the Center since Thursday ready to help.

Sister Sheral Marshall of St. Roberts said, "The food just keeps on coming!"

In addition to the multiple businesses that have donated, individual residents arrive at the Center with trays of food in hand, Brewer said.

"We haven't had to pay a single dollar for all the of the food here," she said.

The night of the accident, 39 people stayed overnight at the rec center and six stayed at the senior center, according to Mackie. Since then, these organizations have been providing the following services:

Medical

• The American Red Cross: comprehensive services from basic amenities like clothing and food to mental health support
• American Red Cross Health Services: immediate medical needs, such as prescriptions glasses and first aid
• County Medical Services: immediate medical needs, such as prescriptions glasses and first aid

Documentation

• Department of Motor Vehicles: free document services – driver's licenses, ASAP appointments, pink slips, vehicle registration, change of address
• Employment Development Department: unemployment insurance, disability insurance
• County Human Services: food stamps, health insurance, and general assistance
• Vital Records/Board of Equalization/Franchise Tax Board: replace birth certificates and other documents
• Social Security: provide social security cards
• Congresswoman Jackie Speier's Office: mortgage assistance information and replacement of citizenship documents

Housing

• San Bruno Building and Public Works
• Department of Insurance & Contractors Licensing Board: to ensure that vendors parked outside the center were registered
• First Baptist Church: free debris removal from property

Miscellaneous

• North Peninsula Neighborhood Service Center: long-term recovery services
• Tzu Chi Foundation: long-term recovery services such as pre-paid debit cards and blankets and scarves made from recycled water bottles
• The Salvation Army: long-term recovery services
• AT&T: free internet and phone usage
• Humane Society and Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: shelter for pets