Dealing With Displacement After a Catastrophe

If you thought I fell off the planet because I hadn’t written in my blog for a while it was because I was dealing with a major disaster.

You never think a catastrophe will happen to you until it does. I remember feeling sick when I heard about the Lahaina fire because I had visited Maui years ago.

On January 7, 2025, Los Angeles erupted in flames because of high winds and low humidity. My home in Altadena, California was threatened and put on evacuation watch. I wasn’t worried because the fire was in the San Gabriel Mountains, several miles away in a residential area.

Watch my video walkthrough of the damage

The winds were insane at 70 – 100 miles per hour. That’s rare in Los Angeles. I didn’t want to drive to my daughter’s home in the valley because it was dark and I was worried a tree would fall on my car.

My roommate and I went to bed but our landlady, who has been my friend since high school, packed up her trailer. At the last minute, she was convinced by family members to abandon the treasured trailer that she had driven to visit friends across the country. She hopped in her car with her dog and a few clothes and headed to the beach.

At 3:30 am, my roommate, a night owl, shouted to me we had to evacuate. I never heard the phone alert. I was packed for a pre-planned five-night convention in Long Beach and took nice, but not necessarily practical clothes. The smoke was thick as I packed my car and took off. I showed up at my daughter’s house at 4 am which was a big surprise to her.

Later that day, we found out my landlady’s house burned to the ground. Our ADU (additional dwelling unit) was still standing but damaged on the side adjacent to her house. Many homes on our cul-de-sac and cross street were wiped out.

Most of the houses in Altadena were built in the 1920s and 30s. Some were even older. Our ADU was only five years old and constructed with concrete siding which probably saved it. It helped that the builder, also a fire watcher, saw the older house burning. He alerted the fire department to save the ADU.

It took over a week before we could view the damage because the area was so toxic, there were hot spots, and authorities were looking for bodies.

Thousands of homes were destroyed including historic buildings, landmarks, businesses, parks, and more. Altadena and Sierra Madre are both neighborhoods that have historical significance. The Zane Grey Mansion, Rand McNally Mansion, Altadena Country Club, and one-hundred-year-old churches were incinerated.

Pacific Palisades suffered severe damage as stretches of homes, buildings, and iconic restaurants on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu were flattened.

After my Long Beach convention, which was eerily timed, we escaped to San Diego’s Mission Beach for a few days before returning to the valley where more fires threatened. The entire experience was like Armageddon.

Dealing with disaster

Once we learned our fate, it was time to contact FEMA for assistance. It will take at least a year before our home will be livable. Nothing inside burned except a few drapes but the house is filled with toxic soot that must be professionally cleaned.

My daughter just had a baby and has tagged me as her nanny when she returns to work. She also has an ADU in her backyard. I will be staying in it for the time being. It’s much more convenient than driving back and forth from Altadena. My landlady/friend will live in the ADU until she can rebuild.

This may cause an issue with my roommate’s cat and my landlady’s dog but they will have to learn to be friends.

Only about 300 + buildings in our neighborhood are still standing so survivor guilt is real. We still have our stuff even though it all must be cleaned. Everyone else lost everything.

FEMA has been super responsive, and our community is amazing in helping each other cope with the loss and providing support. Fires are not political. They affect everyone. Sadly, our new government does not see it that way but hopefully, that nonsense can be abated.

People have been vomiting their opinions on social media. All I can say is you had to have been there. 70 – 100 mile-an-hour winds are nothing to sneeze at. Negativity and blaming others do not help.

Thoughts and prayers and love and light are nice gestures but volunteering and donating to worthy organizations that are helping people deal with this and any other disaster are what is needed. I want to shout out World Central Kitchen who has been feeding displaced people throughout Los Angeles. I was given a free taco lunch when I went to the Post Office to pick up my mail.

Los Angeles learned to be prepared after the 1994 earthquake but it’s easy to slake off. When the power goes out do you have candles, a portable phone charger, disaster apps on your phone, water, and anything else that would come in handy? We found ourselves floundering to find things in the dark.

I had a disaster backpack in the trunk of my car with goggles, masks, a first aid kit, and other items. It was the first time I used it and I was glad it was in my car.

Don’t wait until the last minute to evacuate when you get a warning. Get the heck out of there and go to a safe place. Chances are you won’t be able to save your house. Take your pets, important documents, computers, sturdy clothing, medicine, and anything else you need. Check on neighbors who may be disabled. A disabled man and son in a wheelchair perished in the flames in Altadena.

Stay on top of the news for alerts.

Have a primary contact you can call to alert them of your status.

Make sure you have adequate insurance.

Stay calm. It is just stuff. Saving lives is much more important. Follow instructions from the authorities. It is for your own and others’ safety.