Calif. Fire Victims to Get Debit Cards

Fire victims who suffer substantial property losses soon will be eligible to receive prepaid debit cards that will allow them to replace essential items in several Central Valley fire districts, including Stockton and Lodi.

At a news conference held Thursday in West Sacramento, representatives of 11 Central Valley fire departments announced their participation in Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency (SAVE). The program, funded by the nonprofit California Fire Foundation, is designed to provide immediate aid to those who suffer significant losses in a fire or a major disaster, officials said.

“As firefighters, we often have the sad duty to be with people on the worst day of their lives,” said Lou Paulson, chairman of the California Fire Foundation and a retired Contra Costa firefighter. “By offering SAVE cards to those who have lost so much, firefighters are able to help people take the first step toward rebuilding their lives.”

The $100 MasterCard SAVE cards will be carried by incident commanders to residential fire and disaster calls. The cards can be activated on the scene and will be presented to those who suffer occupancy losses of 25 percent or more of total value, officials said.

“We’ve all been in those situations where it’s 3 in the morning and a family is standing outside at the curb, and they’ve lost everything,” said Brian Rice, president of the Sacramento Area Fire Fighters Local 522. “A SAVE card can be a lifeline for these families, allowing them to get a hot meal, buy some clothes or maybe find a place to stay the night.”

The American Red Cross often helps fire victims with costs of housing and, in some cases, clothing, but the SAVE card will help to supplement that assistance, said Chief’s Operator Art Ray of the Stockton Fire Department.

“They can use this $100 debit card for anything,” Ray said. “We’re hoping they would use it for clothing, food or medicine that they lost in the fire.”

More than 40 fire departments throughout the state have joined the SAVE partnership, officials said. More than 100 California families already have been helped through the SAVE partnership.

In addition to Stockton and Lodi fire departments, Central Valley agencies now participating in the program are the Auburn, Cosumnes, Dixon, Folsom, Merced, Oakdale, Sacramento City, Sacramento Metro and West Sacramento fire departments.

— Contact reporter Jason Anderson at (209) 546-8279 or [email protected]. Follow him at recordnet.com/crimeblog and on Twitter @Stockton911.

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