What happens once the Fire Department leaves?

The last couple of weeks have seen a spurt of fires to keep the local fire department hopping as the summer draws to a close. The most recent one was featured in a front page story in the Daily News which retraced the story of a local family left with few belongings after the most recent one.

The story gives you an impression of a Ministry of social services agency, that might be a tad out of touch with the requirements of day to day living these days, especially when a tragedy of this nature should strike a family. Perhaps the Daily could follow the story up with one on the Ministry of Social Services and what they can provide and what they won’t.

It would be interesting to have an understanding of the parameters in place from the government for accessing those funds and under what circumstances, as in this case it seems that the social safety net might have a few holes in it.

FAMILY FIGHTS TO PICK UP PIECES AFTER FIRE
By James Vassallo
The Daily News
Friday, September 8
Page One

A local woman and her three children are struggling to get by after their home and all their possessions were destroyed in a fire last week.

“They’re out in the street essentially, they’ve been struggling and bouncing around with family,” said Chatman Shaw.

“She had no insurance on her home and the contents, so they have nothing.’

Shaw, who had hired the family’s elder daughter, 16 year old Karen to baby-sit his children on the day of the fire, is hoping the community will rally around and support the family.

“Social Services finally made arrangements for them to stay at Raffles, but they gave them $80 for food and said that has to hold you until family allowance day, which she has no address to receive- everything is piling up.

“I know we strained the community to the max with the Elizabeth Apartments but here’s a family with a single mom and they’re struggling.”

The accidental fire broke out during the afternoon of Aug 28.

Starting in the basement it spread quickly through the home due to the “open” design of the stairwells, according to Prince Rupert Fire Rescue.

The bottom floors were consumed by fire and the upper rooms damaged by smoke even as fire fighters arrived.

The blaze caused limited structural damage but annihilated everything inside, including all of the family’s furniture, clothing and personal possessions.

“I bought the kids $300 worth of school supplies the week before but that’s all gone now,” said parent Audrey Brown.

“They had everything, but now they need everything.”

The family spent the first week living with family and friends and were finally given help from Social Assistance on Thursday, so they could be together.

The Ministry has provided housing for the next 25 days, but has also stressed that there will be no help after that, she said.

“Welfare said ‘go to family and friends’, but I said my friend already took my kids for a week, I can’t just live with her,” said Brown.

The $80 food voucher also won’t go far with four mouths to feed.

The Salvation Army has stepped up and covered dinners for the family as well as meals on the weekends, Brown said social assistance has told the family to go to the soup kitchen during the rest of the time,

“The soup kitchen is open at 10 a.m., so we can’t go during breakfast, and we can’t run up for lunch because we’re at school,” said Karen.

After living for a year at her former residence Brown also go the latest piece of bad news – a natural gas bill for an additional $428. She’ll have to find a way to pay it before she can move into a new place and get heat.

Mackenzie Furniture has offered to give the family a bed, City Furniture is doing the same and Kondolas has said they would help with something as well, she said.

However, the family’s three children will have no school supplies and are in need of some clothing items.

Anyone wanting to find out how to help can contact Chatman Shaw at 624-3830 or telephone Lisa Russ at 624-8603.