Services Available For Those Impacted By Fires

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Some residents uprooted from that Starkville fire apartment will stay at the burn shelter in Starkville for a couple of weeks.

It’s a good alternative for fire victims, until they find another place to live.

There are also other services available for people impacted by a fire.

Smoke and flames damaged almost everything, some people at the Brookville Garden Apartment own.

Now, some of them are starting over with absolutely nothing and are leaning on organizations to help.

Fire inside a home usually starts small, but grows out of control within minutes.

That’s exactly what happened at a Starkville apartment building, sending some victims to a temporary home.

“We have a burn shelter. We actually started it last year, a temporary burn shelter, that’s located in Pecan Acres, so you can stay from three to seven days. It’s something that our firefighters came up with and actually redid and built the structure,” says Starkville Fire Chief Charles Yarbrough.

There are also other steps in place to help.

“They initially go to the Red Cross and they also have to have a fire report from the fire department, showing the physical address of the damaged home, and then they will come to the Salvation Army,” says Salvation Army Divisional Service Extension Director, Suzzette McMillan.

Once people displaced by fire get to a Salvation Army store, the organization provides them with a starter kit.

“Each family member could get five sets of clothes and once they’re in a stable environment, we’ll either give them a starter packet, like dishes, or bedding, or furniture, and what have you to get them started,” says McMillan.

The non-profit says they lend a hand during every situation, from natural disasters to fires.

This is one reason it relies on donations.

“We give back to the community. Everything you donate to Starkville, it goes back to Oktibbeha County, or Webster County, or Choctaw County, the surrounding counties that we serve,” says McMillan.

The OSERVS organization also helps fire victims.

Firefighters also say having a working smoke detector and knowing how to work a fire extinguisher can save your life and property.