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COLIN PERRY
Staff Writer
Fredonia is no stranger to hosting guests in the dorms. But for the past three weeks, nearly 20 Dunkirk residents have been staying on campus after a partial building collapse on Central Avenue forced them out of their homes.
Since the day of the collapse on Sept. 30, the victims have been staying in suites in Igoe Hall and in University Village. These housing units have been otherwise empty until now.
The relocation of the Dunkirk residents to Fredonia is part of the university’s partnership with the Greater Buffalo chapter of the American Red Cross, designed specifically to assist the local area in the event of any “large scale disaster,” according to American Red Cross Disaster Programs Specialist Jason Carmen.
“Our first priority in any disaster is to make sure everybody made it out safely and to make sure nobody is injured,” said Carmen.
However, once that’s done, there are other needs to be addressed, such as providing food, clothing and perhaps most importantly, shelter.
Initially, the victims of the collapse were taken by the emergency responders to the Dunkirk Senior Center. In any other school year, they might have then been relocated to Steele Hall, where the American Red Cross could set up makeshift cots and the university would be able to provide shower facilities. But Carmen said the empty housing on campus was extremely lucky.
“This shelter is unique because there are rooms with individual beds, and couples who were in the building can have privacy, or families can have privacy,” said Carmen. “Normally, our shelter is in gyms or fire halls.”
Kathy Forster, director of Residence Life, said that the university, in conjunction with the Chautauqua County Rural Ministry, immediately started preparing for the displaced residents’ arrival and determining which lodgings would be most appropriate for each individual’s needs. For example, the townhouse occupants are families with children, whose needs are better met in a non-dormitory environment.
“Even though, in my history, we’ve never housed people who were displaced, we were prepared,” Forster said.
Staff at Fredonia has, in the past, made plans in the event of other potential crises, including the Y2K bug and the swine flu outbreak, but have not needed to utilize them until now.
While there have been no major problems as a result of the displaced residents staying on campus, some minor issues have arisen. A few of the guests’ primary language is Spanish and because of this, have needed the help of bilingual staff in the residence halls to overcome the language barrier.
Forster noted that the temporary relief has lasted longer than many expected.
“Although [the guests] are very appreciative, I think that they’re getting a little antsy about wanting to be back home,” she said. “They only really came in with the clothes on their back, and all their things are in a building they haven’t been in.”
While Residence Life initially purchased over 150 meals for the guests, Forster said that at this point, without kitchen facilities, they are relying on the Rural Ministry to provide them with food.
“I thought, ‘what’s feeding 20 people?’” she said. “I was willing to pay for it because that’s what we do in Fredonia — we help people. But when the stay started to get longer, unfortunately, it’s hard for a department to carry that responsibility.”
Last Monday, one of the guests was also made a persona non grata, meaning that they are not permitted to be anywhere on campus.
Forster said that the person in question was “concerning,” rather than dangerous or threatening, and that the persona non grata action arose from student’s discomfort during their interactions.
“Because I don’t have an obligation to these people, as far as they’re not my students, … it was probably in our best interests because they were making students uncomfortable,” she said.
Forster also stressed that each of the Dunkirk residents was reviewed by University Police before they were allowed to stay on campus with the concern of the students in mind.
Forster and others are hoping that the residents will be able to return to their homes this week, but Carmen says any timetable for relocation is based on the building’s prolonged demolition.
In spite of the challenges, Carmen spoke for many when he said the Red Cross was “hugely grateful for how the college opened up its dorms and allowed them to stay as long as they have.”