American Red Cross volunteer and local resident James Woodruff
has put his life on hold for three weeks to bring his specialized
disaster-response skills to the raging wildfire near Lake
Tahoe.
Morgan Hill – American Red Cross volunteer and local resident James Woodruff has put his life on hold for three weeks to bring his specialized disaster-response skills to the raging wildfire near Lake Tahoe.
Woodruff, a 67-year-old retired IBM technician, is operating a mobile communications van to allow disaster victims to reach loved ones more easily. The van is stocked with radios, cell phones, a satellite phone, a satellite transceiver, video equipment and laptop computers.
Woodruff could not be reached for comment, but his wife, Ida-Jean Woodruff, a retired Live Oak High School math teacher, said Tuesday her husband was on his toes as firefighters warned of gusty winds and more evacuations.
Since Sunday, the surging wildfire has destroyed more than 200 homes and forced some 1,000 residents to evacuate the South Lake Tahoe area. The fire covered more than 2,700 acres by Tuesday afternoon, by which time one injury had been reported, according to the Associated Press.
Authorities believe human activity caused the inferno after a mild winter left wooded areas surrounding the alpine lake extremely vulnerable to wildfires. Gusty winds Tuesday reportedly caused the blaze to surge through fire lines near the Tallac Village development.
Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons, who toured the area Monday, told the Associated Press fire officials estimated the cost of fighting the blaze at $35 million to $50 million, and the overall damage at more than $100 million. By Tuesday afternoon, falling ash from the fire had diminished the alpine lake’s famed clarity, threatening the region’s tourist economy.
Woodruff received the call for help Sunday evening at 5:15pm as he and his wife returned from volunteering at the Red Cross training institute in Pebble Beach. By 7pm, he was on his way, his wife said.
Woodruff – who goes by the nickname “Woody” – is used to getting emergency calls. He has been deployed more than 25 times as a Red Cross volunteer since 1994. His wife Ida-Jean also volunteers for the Red Cross.
In 2005, the couple traveled to Biluxy, Miss., to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Ida-Jean said she put herself “on availability” to respond to the Tahoe emergency, but there is no demand at this time.
“Woody” has been active in South County in recent years a member of the Garlic Festival’s volunteer board. He and his wife also run the first aid stations at Morgan Hill’s Fourth of July festivities. Ida-Jean said her husband’s absence would not affect next week’s first aid preparations.
There are currently 1,400 volunteers in the Santa Clara Valley Red Cross chapter, one of the largest in the state. Additionally, there are 700 youth volunteers.
