Email   Print   Share By Pfc. Andrew Ingram 4th Inf. Div. Public Affairs

Facebook Digg Delicious July 5, 2012 | Across DoD

Volunteers from the USO and other relief organizations set up a table full of relief items to assist service members and their Families displaced by the Waldo Canyon wildfire at Fort Carson, Colo. Spc. Nathan Thome, 4th Inf. Div. Public Affairs

FORT CARSON, Colo. - Fort Carson opened its doors June 26, to displaced service members and Families forced to flee their homes due to the danger posed by the out-of-control Waldo Canyon wildfire.

At the Fort Carson Special Events Center, or SEC, Soldiers and civilian volunteers are in-processing evacuees from Colorado Springs and the U.S. Air Force Academy and working to find places for them to stay until the fire is contained.

“Soldiers and civilian volunteers are making sure these evacuees are as comfortable as possible,” Maj. John Price, administrative officer with the 43rd Sustainment Brigade, said. He is tasked to operate the control point for displaced service members and Families arriving at Fort Carson. “We have had a little less than 50 people show up so far, but we are prepared to house as many as 1,600.”

Currently, three locations are open to evacuees: the special events center is available to most evacuees, displaced people with pets can stay at the Fort Carson Youth Center, and those with special needs can stay at the Fort Carson Warrior Transition Battalion barracks.

“Our Soldiers and volunteers are doing a great job out here,” Price said. “The United Services Organization has set up care packages; we have provided food and are currently working to get computers with internet installed in the SEC.”

Fort Carson personnel are also providing basic medical assistance and emergency services along with bus transportation around post, and parking lots for car, boat and trailer storage.

“I feel it is a privilege and a duty to help these people,” Sherri Riley, a USO volunteer, said. “We don’t have that many guests yet, but we could get hundreds more before they put out this fire and are all able to return home. We want to make sure they have everything they need, from deodorant to ways to keep their children occupied.”

Clothing, food and other donations are accepted on post 24 hours a day, according to Riley.

By providing aid to wildfire victims, the Fort Carson team demonstrates the value it places on the Colorado Spring community as a whole, Staff Sgt. Melissa Smith, a health care specialist with the brigade, said.

“It doesn’t matter if we only help one person or 1,000,” Smith said. “We’re here to care for people in this community.”