We tend to think of recreational vehicles as a way to go on road trips and camping trips with all the comforts of home. But, in a pinch, RVs can also serve as an emergency home.
One father and daughter team is making sure that people who've been displaced from their homes still have a place to rest their heads at night.
While wildfires are nothing new, they've been increasing in severity over the last few years. The 2018 Camp Fire brought things into sharp contrast, as the blaze tore through Northern California's Butte County, destroying hundreds of homes and costing an estimated $16 billion in damages.
Emergency RV was founded by Woody Faircloth in the wake of the deadly Camp Fire. Woody told reporters that he was inspired by the story of a man who'd lost his home, but still had his mobile home.
The first RV was donated after a crowdfunding effort. After Emergency RV started to gain traction and attract attention, more RV donations came in. Woody delivers the vehicles personally, often with his nine-year-old daughter Luna along for the ride.
"We were watching some of what's going on [in California] and talking about what if that was us, and what would we do," Woody said.
"And I told [Luna] what the idea was and she was 100 percent on board. She said, 'God and Santa Claus would be really proud of us for this.'"
Hundreds, if not thousands, of Californians have lost their homes due to recent wildfires. While they can't get their home back, getting an RV to stay in while they piece their lives back together is a definite blessing.
It's pretty impressive that Emergency RV has donated nearly a hundred RVs in just three years of existence. Still, Woody has plans to extend the program to help people who've been affected by other natural disasters.
"Before I got that RV, I felt like I was a burden on everybody that helped me," said George Wolley, who lost his home in the Dixie Fire and was given an RV by Emergency RV. "I slept a lot in tents and in my car. It gave me a place to go."
Kudos to Woody and Luna for their hard work, and here's hoping they're able to expand their reach.
Make sure to check out Emergency RV on Facebook, and then share your thoughts in the comments section!
