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Chico State

East Avenue Church

Jennifer Lefort stands among rows of beds set up at the Neighborhood Church evacuation center.

Students Care for Evacuees’ Physical and Mental Wellness

Dozens of cots lined East Avenue Church in tidy rows, a stark contrast to the chaos from which Camp Fire evacuees fled. Every face reflected the effects of exhaustion mixed with terror, the air of uncertainty as thick as the smoke outside.

Kallie Griffin types on a laptop in the medical command center, a wall of medical supplies behind her.

Creating Comfort and Order out of Chaos

When a group of Chico State students found a Camp Fire evacuation shelter in need of aid to track those in its care who were displaced, establish a medical records system, and help with filling prescriptions, they launched into action.