Southern California Wildfire Resources

Stronger Together: The Power of Teamwork During Wildfire Evacuations at Easterseals

On the evening of Tuesday, January 7, Easterseals Residential Administrator Saundra Sahagun was working at one of Easterseals’ Living Options homes in Pasadena, CA when an urgent message popped up in the work group chat—a fast-moving brush fire had broken out in nearby Eaton Canyon.  “We immediately turned on the news to monitor the situation,” said Saundra. It soon became clear: both of Easterseals’ homes in the neighborhood would need to evacuate. 

Acting Fast: Moving to Safety 

With Saundra and staff coordinating evacuation efforts at one of the homes, Living Options Director Ernesto Vasquez hopped into his car and rushed to the second Living Options house. 

“On my way, I could see the embers,” he said. “There were helicopters, police cars, and fire trucks driving toward the fire. I’ve never seen anything like it.”  

The situation was chaotic and frightening. Residents were crying, some reluctant to leave. Despite the pressure, Easterseals staff remained calm, offering reassurance and support while gathering essential belongings—medications, medical records, and personal items. 

Finally, with everyone settled in transport vans, they set off for a vacant Easterseals home in Pasadena that was safely outside the evacuation zone. 

“The streets were packed with cars trying to get out,” Ernesto said. “The wind was intense, horns were honking, sirens were everywhere—it was overwhelming.” 

Creating Calm During Chaos 

Once they arrived at the evacuation destination, the team quickly assessed residents’ immediate needs.  Staff from another nearby Living Options home arrived to help secure air mattresses, bedding, water, and other essentials, making multiple trips to the store. 

While their colleagues gathered supplies, the rest of the support team focused on calming the residents and making them feel safe and secure.  

Staff and clients at the Living Options Home next door, welcomed the displaced residents with open arms. “They were there for us every step of the way—from evacuation and relocation to daily meals and emotional support,” Ernesto said. 

After the first night, some of the residents were relocated to homes in La Verne and Covina, where the staff worked tirelessly to ensure that residents felt secure. Everyone stepped up, collaborated and checked in with each other. All the while, Saundra drove to the various homes to assess how the relocations were going.  

A graphic with white bold text that reads, A graphic with white bold text that reads, "Stronger Together. Uniting For A Purpose.

No One Left Behind 

Easterseals also assisted Joan, a client in our Independent Living and Supported Living Services (ILS/SLS) program, who lives in her own home with 24/7 support. 

When the order to evacuate came on Wednesday morning, Life Skills Coach Teresa Dejongh was already prepared, with all of Joan’s belongings packed. Joan initially didn’t want to leave, but Teresa was able to explain the situation and calm her fears, and Joan trusted her.  

Thankfully, when they arrived at the evacuation home, Joan recognized familiar faces from the other Living Options communities. Her 24-hour support continued without interruption. 

Helping With Recovery 

Some residents felt like the temporary relocation was an adventure, but others struggled with the change. To help with the situation, Saundra reached out to Megan Schiff, an Easterseals Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), who created a guide to help staff support those who were emotionally impacted. In addition, Megan developed a storyboard explaining the evacuation to help residents process what was happening. 

Saundra also asked a music therapist who works with Easterseals to provide music services for the evacuated residents. It was a calming experience that helped everyone.  

Jorge Romero, Residential Administrator with David, a Living Options Resident. Jorge Romero, Residential Administrator with David, a Living Options Resident.

A Community Comes Together 

Throughout the crisis, employees from across Easterseals were eager to help—despite many facing personal challenges themselves due to the fires. 

  • Behavior Interventionists (BIs) from Autism Services covered shifts at the Living Options homes, volunteered for extra shifts, and donated supplies. 
  • Adult Day Services (ADS) employees helped with staffing and joined the clean-up efforts at the evacuated homes. 
  • The ADS Glendale team, led by Director Brian Nguyen, provided personal protective equipment, including masks, to safeguard residents and staff from the dangerous air quality. Brian and team were also in regular contact with Living Options because some of the residents attended ADS Glendale. 
Easterseals Living Options Residents are thrilled to be moved back into their home after the LA wildfires forced them to evacuate. Easterseals Living Options Residents are thrilled to be moved back into their home after the LA wildfires forced them to evacuate.

Returning Home 

Behind the scenes, many worked hard to ensure the Living Options homes were safe for residents to return. 

  • A professional cleaning crew removed smoke odors and debris. 
  • Gardeners cleared fallen branches and ensured outdoor spaces were safe. 
  • Neighbors kept an eye on everything and let Easterseals know that the homes were OK.  
  • Regional Centers checked in to offer support. 
  • The Easterseals Enterprise Risk Management team secured government-provided air purifiers, quickly navigating the paperwork to get them delivered. 
  • Associates even helped clean and prepare the houses.  

By the end of the second week, residents began returning home. 

“They were so happy to be back,” Ernesto said. “It was wonderful to see.” 

“Everyone was visibly relieved,” Saundra added. “They were eager to get back to their routines and go on outings again.” 

Strength and Commitment  

“This experience revealed the strength of our team and the resilience of our community,” said Lupe Trevizo-Reinoso, Vice President of Living Options. “We are grateful for everyone’s unwavering commitment during this time of crisis.” 

Easterseals Southern California would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to all of the staff members who went above and beyond to protect our Living Options residents and ensure they were safe and cared for. We are Stronger Together because of you!  

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