Disaster assistance center helps Beulah Hill Fire evacuees return home

The disaster assistance center provides a one-stop shop for residents to get information on a variety of services as they prepare to transition back to their homes.

Information available at the center includes public and environmental health, behavioral/mental health, planning and zoning and other social services.

Matthew Media and his family have been evacuated for five days and are ready and relived to go home.

“I just want to get home and feed my chickens and goat and be able to not live in a hotel. My wife is 8 months’ pregnant and she just got a cold. We’re not used to being in the city. I just want to get back home,” Medina said.

“There’s a lot of fear and just that anxiousness to get home to see what’s going on. We want to make it as easy and comforting as possible,” said Lt. Jeff Williams of the Salvation Army.

At the disaster assistance center, the Salvation Army is handing out nearly 500 disaster kits. The kits include a sponge, mask, mop, gloves, broom and much more to help evacuees clean their homes.

“We’re going to provide some clean up kits and financial assistance to those who need it through today and the duration of recovery time,” Williams said.

The Salvation Army has also helped feed 1,700 people throughout the disaster.

“Everybody has been very helpful. It’s been awesome to have so many people offer so many things. We have good people in Beulah and good people around us,” Medina said.

It’s been nearly a week since the Beulah Hill Fire broke out, destroying eight homes and coming close to others.

“We could see it over the ridge. The ridge is probably a mile from my house, and we could see it start to come over the ridge. So yeah, we were worried, very worried,” Medina said.

The disaster assistance center is located at the State Fairgrounds in Pueblo and is open Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

As of Friday morning, all evacuees are allowed to return home at 1 p.m. Evacuees returning home must pick up passes at the 4H building at the State Fairgrounds.