Family displaced by fire grateful for Red Cross

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By Andy Sedlak, Staff Writer 9:11 PM Monday, February 6, 2012

TROY — An apparent dryer fire Sunday afternoon displaced a young Troy family, leaving them to rely on the American Red Cross for assistance.

The agency’s Northern Miami Valley chapter housed the family in a nearby hotel and issued prepaid cards for food. The family — an engaged couple and their two daughters — said they are grateful for the services while they work with their apartment complex to possibly move into a new space.

“It’s been a real blessing,” said Levi Anthony, 30, whose 24-year-old fiance Ashley Cramer was treated for smoke inhalation but will be fine. Their daughters — 2 years old and 5 months — were not injured.

“(The Red Cross) is a great organization,” he said.

Anthony and his family are the latest of several assisted in 2012 by the Red Cross chapter that covers Miami and Shelby counties. According to Executive Director Scott Miller, about 10 families this year have used the agency’s services. That number includes families in Sidney and Piqua displaced following residential fires.

Last year, 37 disasters were handled by the Red Cross’ Northern Miami Valley chapter, translating to accommodations for roughly 130 families at an expense of nearly $120,000, according to Miller.

In 2010, 52 incidents — mainly fires — were recorded. About 150 families were assisted and the Red Cross spent approximately $155,000 in the process.

The chapter’s budget is about $500,000, according to Miller, and six area United Way agencies provide the Red Cross with about $171,000 a year. The rest comes from contributions.

The Dayton Area Chapter of the American Red Cross serves Montgomery, Preble and Greene counties. Halfway through this fiscal year, the agency has 60 incidents on its books. The numbers are on pace with last year’s totals, according CEO Tom Fodor.

The previous year, 143 local fire responses were recorded. In fiscal year 2010, the number was 170.

“(Roughly) three to four times a week we’re on the scene of a fire,” Fodor said. “From experience, (costs range) from $600 to $1,000 per incident.”

The agency’s budget of $3.2 million is down from $4 million about two years ago, Fodor said. The decrease is from what Fodor calls a “reassignment of responsibilities.” Some duties are shared with other chapters of the Red Cross. Also, the national organization decreased local costs stemming from services such as accounting and technical support.

“It’s been a combination of working better locally and also national initiatives that have affected how our costs build,” he said.

The largest single source of funding comes from local donations — 35 percent of the budget.

“The generosity of our local community is over a third of our budget,” Fodor said.

Anthony said families like his are appreciative. He and Ashley had been planning for some time to get married. After Sunday’s fire, there’s a renewed outlook.

“This makes me want to do it more,” he said. “We’re lucky.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-6983.

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