New Fire Recovery Center Opens Downtown

The new recovery center for residents affected by the Sept. 9 gas explosion and fire in the Crestmoor neighborhood opened its doors today in a renovated space downtown.

The center, which will be operated by the American Red Cross and located at 458 San Mateo Avenue in what used to be a party store, is 4,800 square feet and will serve as the central location for residents still coping with the aftermath of the disaster.

Residents from the neighborhood will be able to take advantage of services from full-time case managers, ongoing classes on dealing with trauma, and they will be able to use computers and fax machines to take care of any needs related to rebuilding their homes. The center also has a play area for children, and classes will be offered for people who want to participate in the Red Cross's neighbor-to-neighbor emotional support program.

In his comments to the people who gathered at the center for the opening ceremony, Mayor Jim Ruane said the center will serve an integral part in speeding up the recovery process for those displaced by the fire.

"It is your work with individual families that will make the bigger impact toward our recovery as a neighborhood and as the city of San Bruno," he said.

The San Bruno Resource and Recovery Center was made possible in part by from the Peninsula Health Care District, which allowed the Red Cross to clean up and prepare the center.