By Mary Hay Davis
For The Alpine Sun
     ALPINE — The American Red Cross staged quickly to offer assistance to Back Country residents during the Horse Fire on Sunday, July 23. Joan MacQueen Middle School served as the designated spot for the temporary evacuation point, and remained so, as of Tuesday, augmented by Steele Canyon.
     “We were put on standby at 8:30 a.m. and called into full service to open the shelter at 11 a.m.” said Shelter Manager Cynthia Mah. “We had the shelter open and ready to go by 11:40 a.m. for anyone who might need it.”
By 4 p.m., the center was in full swing serving as a temporary refuge for displaced residents. Katherine Lewis, of the American Red Cross said, “Approximately 40 evacuees have shown up, so far, to seek shelter and services from the Red Cross. We have the capacity to serve approximately 100 people.”
     The middle school functioned as a full service facility for both people and pets. The Lemke family of the Carveacre area off of Japatul Rd. were among those who sheltered there Monday. Daughter Ally, son Tommy, and mom Lorrie Lemke were at the shelter along with their cat, seven puppies, and Cocker Spaniel. The cat was in a pet carrier and the puppies were housed in a gated enclosure that is normally used for student bicycle storage. Ally carried the spaniel around in her arms.
     The Lemkes are veteran fire evacuees, having fled three fires in the recent past, including the Viejas Fire, the Cedar Fire, and now the Horse Fire.
     “The sheriffs came by about 10:30 a.m. and started ordering residents to leave,” Lorrie said. “We were out of there by 11:30 or 12.” Ally said, “It was good timing because our neighborhood had just had a practice fire drill the day before for teens that might be home alone.” Lorrie explained. “Our neighborhood is very proactive and has a fire safety committee that routinely addresses fire hazard issues in our community.”
     The emergency response was not limited solely to the Red Cross. Nearby Tavern Road resident Kim Bennett came by and offered home as an evacuation facility to anyone with horses. “We can take 10 to 15 horses for anyone who might need a temporary shelter.”
     Shelter Manager Mah gave a tour of the supply van used by the Red Cross. It was fully stocked with supplies and sundries. She also advised, “We have an emergency donations fund that is designated to stay in the local community. Any emergency food or supplies can be purchased with that money for the needs of local evacuees.” 
     Mah confirmed that the Red Cross had plenty of supplies on hand for the initial evacuation. Asked if the facility would remain open overnight, she said, “It depends on what the needs of the community are and how many people are here.”
     Monday morning the shelter was still open. Red Cross spokeswoman Peyton Roberts said, “Nine people spent the night at the shelter last night and the shelter will remain open throughout the day as needed.”
     June Welsh, the on-site nurse said, “One man showed up last night with medication that needed to be kept chilled, so we set up some coolers with ice to keep his medication properly stored. It is common for people to show up without their medicine. We can do medical screenings here and also assist evacuees in getting short-term supplies of needed medication through their doctors or pharmacies. 
     The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, further south on Tavern Road, was also set up as an overflow facility. It remained open Monday morning, as well, but was closed Tuesday. With the fire only five percent contained as of that time, the Red Cross continued to offer assistance to those in need, with no immediate plans to close, Roberts said: “We will continue to assess the need for our presence in the Alpine community as conditions change.”
Bonnie Bailey-Jones, also of the Red Cross, said Wednesday that five people spent the night in the shelter Tuesday night. In addition to medical screening and assistance, the shelter also offers access to mental health services, counselors, and spiritual clergy.
     Lions, Tigers and Bears, a local non-profit organization that rescues big cats, evacuated their charges as a precaution. Located off of Japatul Valley Rd., the 93-acre ranch borders the Cleveland National Forest. “Because we had enough advance warning this time, we were able to evacuate all the animals and everyone is safe. But it took multiple trips by our all-volunteer group and we had to beg, borrow and steal to get the trailers and transfer cages we needed!” Spokeswoman Jackie Smith said the animals were taken to an undisclosed location, kept confidential due to safety concerns.
    As of press time, the four Bengal tigers, African serval, two bobcats, leopard, and a menagerie of other farm and ranch animals including llamas, had all been safely relocated. The staff hoped to return the animals back to the main facility by Thursday.
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