‘We can get big things done here:’ Evacuees, volunteers at La Pine rodeo grounds share community support experience

(Update: adding video, comment by La Pine Rodeo, Pet Evacuation Team, evacuee)

La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The La Pine community has come together in many ways large and small to assist evacuees from the Darlene 3 Fire this week - and not just the two-legged ones.

The rodeo grounds opened its space to evacuees with pets and livestock. The Pet Evacuation Team was on site this week, assisting pet owners. The La Pine Rodeo Board was able to offer space for livestock and pets, but also helped set up the Fire Camp on the grounds.

"The rodeo board from La Pine was already here, they were setting up tents," Eve Root, an evacuee staying on the rodeo grounds, said Thursday. "We had already some hay, and everybody was just pretty calm and trying to just keep the calm in this heat of the moment and the scariness of of maybe losing your home."

Root says the community knows how to come together during an emergency: "I know that it's a small town, but we can definitely get big things done here."

The rodeo grounds took in over 20 livestock animals over the past few days. Now there are about 10 horses and three goats left at the facility.

"The whole community showed up," said rodeo board member Dayna Barbee. "You can look behind me and see all the hay that we got donated - wheelbarrows, shovels. You name it, we got it. It all came from the community. It's amazing!"

Barbee says a man in Sisters donated a whole trailer of hay, as did La Pine Feed.

The rodeo board reacted without hesitation, building a camp for first responders and making room for animals, despite having a rodeo scheduled for next week.

"While the rodeo is huge, great event here for the community, the lives of our people here in the community and the livestock and the animals are more important," Barbee said.

The Pet Evacuation Team was also on site, providing relief to around nine animals over the last three days - five dogs and four cats, most of whom have been taken to Bend Pet Resort. 

"We are just breaking down at the La Pine Rodeo Grounds," said PET Regional Coordinator Vikki Sheerer. "We have been here for three days. We showed up right after the fire was announced with 18 volunteers to set up temporary care for animals."

Now, Sheerer says, only two cats are left in their care.

Inspired by community support, the team hosted a pet food drive, donating it to the Red Cross shelter at La Pine High School.

"Figaro's Pizza from La Pine showed up the first night and brought our volunteers pizza," said Sheerer. "The vegetable man from La Pine brought carrots and apples for the animals to snack on. The generosity is just amazing."

Rodeo board members told NewsChannel 21 the fire camp will remain on site over the next two weeks, even during the upcoming rodeo. 

They also said they will remain open as a shelter to livestock and people for as long as they're needed.

The Red Cross opened a shelter at La Pine High School Tuesday to help those forced to flee the fire. The shelter remains open and available to individuals and families who need assistance. 

"It was really crazy -- it was nothing that we expected," La Pine resident Chantel Helwig said Wednesday of the fire's early hours. "We started hearing fire truck after fire truck, and then we started seeing airplanes."

Another La Pine resident, Lori Wood, said: "It's scary - you don't know what's going to happen."

The Red Cross tells NewsChannel 21, they had 25 people check in Tuesday night, most of whom slept in their campers or cars.

"We started doing intake at 9 (p.m.), and then we've been here since," said Claire Foster-Dow, senior disaster program manager with the Red Cross in Central Oregon. "Then just working to get everybody settled and safe until they can go back to their homes."

Foster-Dow says they are providing shelter for people and pets, snacks, blankets, water, food - and safety.

La Pine resident Pamela Perrine said, "They gave us two kennels that we could use for the dogs, because we didn't have room in our cars to pack any kennels."

Smokey Canterell said, "They kept checking on me at night to see if I'm okay, and I can't say enough about the Red Cross."

Evacuees shared with NewsChannel 21 that the community response has been overwhelming, with many going out of their way to help out those in need. 

Pamela Perrine's husband, Terry Perinne, said, "Right here where we've been, we've had lots of people stop by and offer help: 'What can we do to help you out? Is there anything you need?' So on and so forth, It's great! La Pine is very - how should I say it? - family-oriented city."

Pamela Perrine added, "La Pine is always very good at that, because they really take care of each other," And even if they don't know you, they're going to help out things like this."

The Perrines have been residents of La Pine for 10 years, and they said the key to getting out safely is being prepared. Their priorities are family and pets, because they feel the rest can be replaced -- especially with the help of others.

"There's always hope," Terry Perrine. "This community is very positive. Even if we if our house burns down, I have no doubt in my mind that we will have people helping us."

As of 3:30 p.m., Jayson Janes with Deschutes County Sheriff's office told NewsChannel 21, in the Level 1 Evacuation Area, 423 homes have been notified of possible evacuation, 531 homes in Level 2 areas and 492 homes evacuated in Level 3 GO NOW areas.

The shelter at La Pine High School will remain open until evacuation orders are lifted. 

For the time being, the Red Cross recommends folks download the Watch Duty app or visit their website for the most timely alerts and updates.

The Red Cross said the shelter is currently open at the following location: 

La Pine High School
51633 Coach Rd, La Pine, OR 97739

To find a shelter, visit redcross.org/shelter, check the Red Cross Emergency App or call 1 800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).  

The Red Cross is working closely with emergency management and government officials in the impacted areas to ensure evacuees have a safe place to go. We want to remind people to take the following steps in the event of any wildfires this season:

• Take evacuation notices seriously: Level 1 “Be Ready”.  Level 2 “Get Set”. Level 3 “Go Now”. 
• Pack a Go Bag with necessities for you and your family, learn more about what to put in that bag HERE.
• Fill your car's gas tank in case an evacuation notice is issued. 
• Create a meeting place if you get separated from your family.
• Listen to local radio and television stations or follow emergency responders online for updated information or instructions, as access to roads or some parts of the community may be blocked.  
• Help people who may require special assistance, such as infants, children and the elderly or disabled.    

All Red Cross assistance is provided free of charge and made possible by the generosity of the public. To donate to Red Cross Disaster Relief and help people affected by disasters big and small, visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS. To become a Red Cross volunteer visit www.redcross.org/volunteer.

About the American Red Cross: 

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.