February 17, 2017 – The recent crisis at the Oroville Dam, and the resulting evacuation order, forced 200,000 people to flee their homes with little advance warning. In the subsequent hours and days, many evacuees made their way to Nevada County, where they were met with warmth and compassion by the community. We are very proud of the way our community responded, and want to extend thanks to all who participated.
During the crisis, Nevada County OES operated three shelters to support evacuees and their animals. The Shelters included the Nevada County Fairgrounds, First Baptist Church and Calvary Bible Church. In total, these shelters housed 860 people, 50 dogs, 20 cats and 1 rabbit.
To feed the evacuees, the County provided 285 meals. The Salvation Army activated 100 local volunteers and served 3,290 meals, 5,070 refreshments and 3,450 snacks. Additionally, many individual community members donated food and meals on their own initiative.
We estimate that around 2,000 pounds of items were donated to assist evacuees. Many generous community members provided support and assistance, from clothes and blankets to games and crafts for kids. Additionally, the effective response was made possible by the support, donations and coordination of many local businesses, non-profits and government agencies. Our thanks go out to all individuals and organizations who participated, including those below and many more.
- Grass Valley Police Department
- Nevada County Fairgrounds
- Salvation Army
- First Baptist Church
- Calvary Bible Church
- Karing Closet
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Nevada County Consolidated Fire District
- Nevada County Superintendent of Schools Office
- Pat Ehlers and the Animal Disaster Support Team
- California Highway Patrol
- California Office of Emergency Services
- Tahoe Forest Hospital
- Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital
- Tahoe Truckee Airport
- American Red Cross
- SaveMart
- Raley’s
- Starbucks
- Lighthouse Pizza
- Panda Express
- Simply Country
- Apria Healthcare
- Western Sierra Medical Clinic
- The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office
- Nevada County Health and Human Services Agency
- Nevada County Community Development Agency
- Nevada County Information and General Services Agency
It is heartening to see the pride this community took in responding to this crisis. From the beginning of the ordeal, instead of arguing over who’s footing the bill, people were going online and showing up at shelters to find out how to help. Our community showed its true colors by embracing our neighbors in their time of need. Whether you helped run a shelter, prepared meals, donated items, or simply showed compassion to someone in need, thank you to all who helped respond to this crisis.