Food distribution, recovery efforts continue in Crestline
Recovery continued in Southern California mountain communities that were severely affected by the powerful winter storms, with many residents in areas like Crestline gathering to take advantage of emergency response efforts on Friday.
With food supplies running near empty and many residents trapped indoors by the massive amount of snowfall that hit the mountains, people have begun to spring into action as they can no longer wait around.
"Women are stuck at home with their children," said Ruby Beltran, one Crestline resident. "They're on their last two chicken breasts and there's no help."
Though San Bernardino County is one of the many that will be helped by Governor Gavin Newsom's declaration of emergency, communities in the San Gabriel mountains are reaching a point of desperation, especially after their lone grocery store, Goodwin and Son's, was severely damaged when the building's roof collapsed on Wednesday.
In an effort to give back in anyway they can, owners have begun giving away anything that they can to hungry residents.
Other local organizations have also come together to add food to the distribution pile in the Goodwin's parking lot, as well as handing out donated items.
"I can't say enough about the people in this community," said Mike Johnstone, the vice president of Goodwin and Son's. "They stand together and they're always checking on each other. There's a ton of people shoveling people out, volunteering their time."
United States National Guard members were also dispatched to the area as well, assisting trapped residents by shoveling out their properties and helping with food distribution efforts.
Local fire departments have resorted to the use of Snowcats to rescue patients and reach others still trapped in their homes.
"We're transporting patients in the back of Snowcats too, because ambulances can't get where we're going," said San Bernardino County Fire Department Captain Jared Newcomer. "We are having a lot of infrastructure issues with gas lines due to the snow load, buildings collapsing."
