Red Cross to close shelter for Aston Park Towers fire victims

Press release:

Red Cross Shelter to Close

(ASHEVILLE, N.C., Oct. 19, 2017) – The shelter opened by Red Cross disaster trained volunteers for the residents of Aston Park Towers displaced by a fire Tuesday night will be closed Thursday at 8 p.m. Residents on two of the floors displaced will return to their apartments. Those on the 7th floor where the fire started will be placed in other apartments or other arrangements have been made for them by the Asheville Housing Authority.

Working with emergency management partners, the American Red Cross Asheville – Mountain Area Chapter opened a shelter at the City of Asheville Stephens Lee Recreation Center for families impacted by a fire at the Aston Park Towers apartments Tuesday evening.

The Red Cross role in such situations is to provide assistance to meet the immediate needs of those displaced. Red Cross disaster trained volunteers most often meet residents on the fire scene, as they did at Aston Park towers the evening of Oct. 17th. Recognizing that a shelter is only temporary, the Red Cross then works with the families and other partners for successful transition back home or to other more permanent housing.

MAKE YOUR HOME SAFER:
While the Red Cross responds to nearly 64,000 disasters a year, one every 8 minutes, most of them are home fires. Home fires can happen quickly and claim lives and property. Families can keep themselves and their loved ones safer by checking their existing smoke alarms and practicing fire drills at home. For more information about home fire preparedness, visit redcross.org/NC.

TO SUPPORT RED CROSS DISASTER RELIEF:
Anyone wishing to support the Red Cross Disaster Relief Operations for responses large and small may do so at redcross.org/nc, by calling 800-RED-CROSS or by texting REDCROSS to 90999 to make an immediate $10 donation.

TO VOLUNTEER:
To volunteer now and be trained before another disaster impacts our community, visit redcross.org/volunteer to begin the application process.

TO DONATE BLOOD:
To help the Red Cross by donating blood, please visit redcrossblood.org to find a convenient collection location or blood drive.