“The Red Cross gives hope in a time of chaos.”
– Miller Newlon
By: Andrea Manokian, Red Cross Communications Volunteer
As wildfires tore through Los Angeles County, leaving devastation in their wake, American Red Cross volunteers, Miller and Christin Newlon, didn’t hesitate to step up. With nearly 30 years of experience as a certified EMT, Miller put his skills to work in emergency shelters, offering medical care and support to those in need. Meanwhile, Christin played a vital role in reunification efforts, following up on more than 900+ requests to help locate and reconnect families displaced by the disaster.
For Miller and Christin, volunteering isn’t just something they do—it’s part of who they are. Deeply involved in their community and various nonprofits, the couple shares a passion for giving back. “I went to Ian two years ago,” Miller says, recalling his Hurricane Ian deployment with the Red Cross. In 2005, he also deployed as a medic to assist with Hurricane Katrina. But wildfires, he notes, bring a unique kind of devastation. “With fires, whole neighborhoods are gone, so there is no resemblance of what you remember the neighborhood to look like,” he says.
As the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and for those affected by natural disasters, recovery can be a long and strenuous journey. Understanding this, Miller developed a simple yet effective approach to help impacted individuals regain a sense of normalcy. “I call it two-steps forward,” he says. When speaking with individuals who had lost everything, he guided them in identifying their first two steps toward rebuilding their routines. “[I’d break] it down into something that [was] positive for them. Then [I’d] slowly help them and coach them,” he says.
While Miller provided aid in emergency shelters across Los Angeles, including the UCLA Disaster Recovery Center, Christin focused on reuniting individuals. Christin plays a key role in local recovery efforts, assisting shelter residents as they transition out, and recently, she became the Regional Reunification Lead for the Red Cross Central California Region. “People use the Red Cross as a means to try and find their loved ones,” she says. Reflecting on the LA fires, she adds, “There were 900+ reports filed, and there was a team of 40 of us—some on the ground but mostly virtual—that scoured every piece of information we could to try and find the people that were lost.”
One of Christin’s biggest challenges was tracking down elderly individuals. “So many of the people that were lost were elderly, between the ages of 80 and 100. And they don’t use cell phones and they don’t have a social media presence,” she explains. She and a team of Red Cross volunteers combed through shelter rosters, searched the internet and made countless cold calls to locate them. She recalls a particularly touching case where a woman had reached out, desperate to find her 96-year-old next door neighbor. “I called everybody that could be related to this woman, and then eventually, by the 15th call, I got the granddaughter,” Christin exclaims, beaming. Holding up her phone, she shares a heartfelt text message she received from the concerned neighbor who had submitted the request. She reads some of the text aloud: “I want to say thank you to the American Red Cross. Never have I needed the Red Cross, but what I experienced the other day—the Red Cross will always have a special place in my heart.”
A great deal happens behind the scenes during natural disaster volunteer efforts—much of it in ways people wouldn’t expect. For example, a key part of Miller’s deployment involved managing the quarantine ward inside the shelter, where volunteers tend to sick individuals. “We had people that had acute medical needs and we had doctors and nurses who could do all the acute medical care,” he explains. “Then, we had people that [would] get sick in the shelter. So, our DHS (Disaster Health Services) crew [had] to figure out a way to get the people that [were] sick, better,” he adds. Volunteers like Miller were on-site to tend to minor injuries, administer medication, provide emotional support and more.
“Part of healing is mind and spirit,” Miller says. “I would have 20-to-30-minute conversations when people would come up to the Red Cross booth and everybody would be crying within five or 10 minutes as I heard their stories,” he adds. Christin chimes in, “You’re seeing people at their most vulnerable, and many of them will come back later to thank you.”
Accepting help during times of crisis is a difficult step for many, particularly in affluent communities like the Pacific Palisades, which was also tragically affected by the LA fires. Miller and Christin noticed some individuals struggled with guilt over accepting the assistance they needed. Miller recalls one such instance: “There was a mother, and she was the ‘mom’ of her neighborhood. It was a small community of 30 homes right off of Highway 1. All of the kids used to come to her house; it was their safe space. She came [to me] and said ‘I don’t feel right asking for [assistance].’” Miller reassured her, helping her accept the support she and her family needed after losing their home. “I told her, ‘Let us help you get back to that point where you can help again.’ And she came to peace with that,” Miller says.
“The Red Cross [has] the best connection with people in terms of being able to service needs,” Miller says. Christin, who onboarded seven new mental health volunteers in the past year, agrees, “I think the Red Cross has something for anybody. You can do staff services; you can distribute emergency supplies; you can do office work,” she says. “There’s a million opportunities with the Red Cross,” she adds.
For Miller and Christin, volunteering is a way of life. They lead by example, inspiring others to give back. “Every three months, I get a list of new volunteers and call every single one of them,” Christin says. “Then I do a new volunteer orientation down at the office in [San Luis Obispo],” she adds. With their dedication, devotion and leadership, this couple continues to make a profound impact in their local community, and others, through the Red Cross.
The American Red Cross provides essential aid like food, shelter, emotional support, recovery planning and financial assistance to impacted individuals. Since the Los Angeles fires began over a month ago, the Red Cross has offered more than 14,500 overnight shelter stays and nearly 128,000 meals and snacks, with support from partners. Hundreds of responders are working tirelessly to ensure no one faces this crisis alone. Consider making a positive impact today by donating or volunteering.
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