KPCC News In Brief

Porter Ranch church opens doors to evacuees, their pets as evacuation center during Sesnon Fire

The Shepherd of the Hills Christian Church is slowly returning to normal, after authorities designated it as an evacuation center for the Sesnon Fire. Volunteer Mike Johnson says the church assumed its new role on Monday as flames bore down on Porter Ranch.

Mike Johnson: “The very first night we opened our doors at 2:45, and by 7 o’clock we were serving dinner to about a thousand people with the help of several restaurants around the community.”
Frank Stoltze: “What prompted you guys to do this?”
Johnson: “We were just approached by the Red Cross and we couldn’t say no. It’s what we do. We try to be the hands and feet of God, and the only way you can do that is to open your doors and help everybody. We had everybody from parrots, rats, and snakes; the very first night we probably had a hundred pets total, so it was kinda like a zoo in here.”
Stoltze: “Did you let them inside the sanctuary?”
Johnson: “Red Cross was against it, but with the laws of the land, if you just say it’s a comfort animal or a service animal of any sort, they can’t stop ya, so we did have animals in the sanctuary as well.”

Hiller says that on the first two days of this week, 350 people ended up sleeping at the church.

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• October 15, 2008 12:08 PM
• Categories: Environment