The fire Thursday that destroyed four houses on Kennedy Street
and left 11 people homeless couldn’t have come at a worse time, not
only for the families affected, by also for the local chapter of
the American Red Cross.

Executive Director of the McKean-Potter Counties Chapter of the
American Red Cross Greg Ulyan said Thursday morning at the scene of
the fire that it was an extremely expensive incident, and the Red
Cross will need financial support from the public to help meet the
needs of those involved.

He explained later that the American Red Cross had mailed
notices of its summer campaign just a week earlier. There really
hasn’t been enough time for residents to respond, he said, leaving
the organization’s funds for assistance tighter than usual.

“We just met with two of the households,” Ulyan said, “and we’re
waiting on a third.”

“The Red Cross is assisting with emergency needs of the victims,
supplying food, clothing, shoes, comfort kits (which basically
includes personal items like toiletries), and a place to stay for
the people who need it,” he said.

“We’re also making referrals to other agencies,” Ulyan said,
explaining the Red Cross does not have the facilities to collect,
store or distribute food and clothing items, for example.

He said fire victims are referred to St. Matthew’s Shoppe, the
Bradford Regional Medical Center Auxiliary shop, SACKS and the
Goodwill for clothing needs, and to the Salvation Army and YWCA for
food pantries and additional assistance.

Ulyan said the American Red Cross is helping out with
prescriptions, eye care and have put some victims up in a
motel.

He said some of the people affected are staying with
friends.

“This is just the beginning,” he went on to say. “These are only
their emergency needs.”

He said about a week down the road, the families will probably
start looking for new housing, and will need furniture and house
wares like dishes and linens.

“They’re just still reeling from all that has happened,” Ulyan
said of the fire victims.

Ulyan went on to say any financial donations will help the
American Red Cross through the incident, explaining the incident
occurred early in the fiscal year for them.

“We really appreciate the community’s support and the help of
our volunteers at the scene,” he said, adding representative were
on scene in the early hours of Thursday morning, shortly after the
fire initially broke out.