Red Cross aids three Islip families after Nikia Drive fire

The Greater New York Red Cross stepped in on Nikia Drive in Islip after a house fire that left no one injured, helping three affected families with financial aid and comfort supplies. The response came from the American Red Cross Greater New York Region, which includes Long Island in its coverage area.

In the first hours after a home fire, the Red Cross focuses on the basics that let families get through the night and the next few days. Its home-fire recovery guidance says it helps people affected by disasters with emergency assistance and recovery information, and the organization says its help can include immediate financial support to help families find temporary housing while they begin to recover.

For Islip neighbors who want to contribute, the Red Cross is the clearest place to start. Residents can contact the American Red Cross for disaster help at 1-800-RED-CROSS, or 1-800-733-2767, and direct donations and volunteer efforts through the organization’s local disaster-response system. That support matters most when a block is suddenly dealing with clothing, toiletries, food and a place to stay after a fire.

Neighbors can also keep local fire and emergency numbers close by before an alarm ever sounds. The Islip Fire Department lists its emergency line as 631-581-5882, or 911, with headquarters at 28 Monell Avenue in Islip and Station No. 2 at 295 Commack Road. The Town of Islip also maintains an Emergency Management office, and Suffolk County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services coordinates county response across the county.

For a community that has to pull together fast after a fire, those names and numbers are part of the response as much as the trucks and sirens. The Red Cross aid on Nikia Drive covered the immediate aftermath, while local residents now have a clearer list of the agencies to call if their own street is ever hit.