Red Cross Helps Seniors With Medication, Oxygen After Fire
By Andrea Flores
LITTLETON, Colo. (CBS4)- The Red Cross is helping hundreds of people, displaced from their homes in a senior apartment complex in Littleton when it caught fire, with medication and oxygen.
About 50 seniors gathered at Littleton United Methodist Church on Thursday hoping to hear some good news about returning home. Unfortunately, many say it could be days or even months before they can return.
For now, the Red Cross is working with local agencies and organizations to meet all of their medical needs.
Displaced residents Ruth Slocum and Marge Seery were in good spirits Thursday despite Wednesday's fire at Southview Place Towers.
With nothing more than the clothes on her back, Slocum says she just one of many evacuated Wednesday without the one thing she can't live without-- her medications.
Some Littleton firefighters went above and beyond the call of duty when they went back into the complex to make sure seniors had what they needed to get through the night.
"I was delighted, especially when I saw my purse and this bag of pills," said Slocum. "That's what you live on."
Volunteers with the Red Cross are making sure seniors are being treated with compassion and care, regardless of their medical needs.
"The City of Littleton was able to purchase overnight emergency oxygen and right now we are working with those residents and their oxygen suppliers to get their normal supply of oxygen delivered to the shelter," said Red Cross spokeswoman Patricia Billinger.
While some may not have all the comforts of home, Seery says she walked away with more than enough, "It could have been a worse disaster, so we're all very lucky."
The Red Cross said anyone displaced by the fire can pick up medication left behind or work with nurses to get their prescriptions filled at Littleton United Methodist Church.
