It has been more than a month since the devastating Northern California Wildfires ripped through communities, causing cities and counties to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people. The fires destroyed an estimated 8,400 homes and buildings. Of that number, 117 Veterans either lost their homes or reported fire damage and 16 VA San Francisco VA Health Care System employees had lost or damaged homes as well.
San Francisco VA staff, along with support from the Oakland Regional Veterans Benefits Office, made more than 5,846 welfare calls to check on Veterans throughout the affected fire areas.
At the height of the fires, about 100,000 people were displaced without knowing if they would have a home to return to. The scope and scale of the damage is among the worst wildfires in state history.
Victor Negron, a Santa Rosa VA Clinic administrative officer and Veteran, lost his home and personal belongings during the fires. Because of the hasty evacuation, Negron and his family left with only the clothing on their backs and their family pet, leaving behind memories and items that can’t be replaced. Despite the hardship, his focus remained on staff and Veterans. During these challenging times, Negron made it a priority to drive to the clinic to check on staff and inform Veterans about the clinic’s closure.
“I felt the need to personally inform our Veterans about the clinic closure due to the fires and where they may go for any medical needs,” he said.
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