For many Rowanwood residents a lifetime of memories went up in smoke on Sunday night as they watched their retirement home and their belongings burn to the ground.>

Many were woken up in the middle of the night wearing nothing more than their bedclothes and ushered out of the inferno into the cold night air.

Fortunately, thanks to the dedication of two police officers from Hamilton who happened to be driving by, along with Rowanwood staff, and area families, when emergency crews arrived on the scene, the evacuation of the residents to safety was well underway.>

Huntsville OPP officers and volunteer firefighters from Huntsville, Bracebridge and Lake of Bays fought through the night to bring the fire under control and thanks to everyone’s efforts all of the 56 residents and staff made it out of the building with their life.

It is worrisome, though, to read that the Hamilton police officers who first came on the scene did not hear smoke alarms ringing when they entered the building. Things could have been a lot worse had the officers not been driving at that precise time along Hwy. 11 and seen the flames. However, Rowanwood deserves credit not only for evacuating the residents safely, but also for upgrades that were made a few years ago that included fire-safe doors and other security measures. Those changes, which did not sit well with some of the residents at the home, have proven to be invaluable. >

According to calls and visits made to the Forester on Monday, resident pets were also rescued and taken in by one of the area families overnight and most of the health records belonging to the residents were also salvaged.>

Unfortunate situations like these make us realize how much we depend on one another when tragedy strikes, and judging from the stories that were starting to emerge in the fire’s aftermath on Monday, the kindness, empathy and caring of good Samaritans abounds.>

The Forester took about a dozen calls on Monday not only from concerned family members in places like Newmarket and Toronto, but from residents all over Ontario who had gotten wind of the fire and wanted to know how they could help.>

One woman who said she lived near Orillia wanted to offer up her granny flat for anyone left without a place to stay. Others wanted to know where they could drop off clothes and blankets for the residents.>

In a heartbeat people in the community began to organize, and schools such as Spruce Glen had managed to send a letter home with its students by Monday afternoon asking parents to gather up clean clothing for the residents.

Members of the business community also sprang to action as evidenced by the role of staff at the Hidden Valley Resort, where residents are being housed at the moment, as well as Zeller’s donation of undergarments and the Huntsville’s emergency room staff who were ready to help those suffering from smoke inhalation.>

As the next few days unfold, members of the community are being asked to help by delivering clean clothes, eyewear and/or monetary help to the residents by calling the Hidden Valley Resort at 789-2301.>

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