It’s been nearly a month since neighbors helped save people from the second story of a Grover Beach apartment complex as it went up in flames.
Now, they’re being recognized not only for their bravery but also for the work they’re continuing to do.
Eleven people were left without a home after a fire destroyed part of an apartment complex on July 29. Two of those residents were forced to jump out of their second-story windows to escape the flames.
Luckily, Jackie and Corey Clendenen were there to break their fall.
“We want to just be good people and good neighbors,” Jackie Clendenen said. “If something like that was happening to us, I can only imagine how much I would appreciate the help and the support as well.”
During Monday’s Grover Beach City Council meeting, the Clendenens were honored, along with others who helped with the rescues.
Five Cities Fire Authority Chief Scott Hallett said recognizing these Good Samaritans for their efforts was important to him.
“To have an incident, you know, this magnitude with so many dynamic things happening at once where you have, you know, ultimately, legitimate rescue of people in danger, by citizens," Hallett said. "Is not something that happens very often.”
Jackie Clendenen is still finding ways to help her neighbors, creating a GoFundMe page and collecting donations for the displaced families.
She said the families are now looking for a place to store the donations received so far.
“As much as they need all of these things, they don't have the space to store these things,” Clendenen said. “Talking to the families, it would be awesome if there was maybe if somebody had some property, if somebody had a C train, and we might be able to put some of these items into the C train while they're waiting and looking for housing.”
Hallett said the Clendenens are going above and beyond to help their neighbors, and their work is a symbol of strength in the Grover Beach community.
“The fact that they continued after the initial incident, just recognizing that these people were going to be displaced and their lives are going to be disrupted for quite some time, was I think, something that we need to acknowledge in our community,” Hallett said. “We have good people out there doing great things.”
“If I can keep that alive and give them hope and rebuilding and feeling supported, it will help them through this trauma, in this tragedy,” Clendenen said.
Hallett said so far, the fire appears to be accidental.
To donate to the displaced families, visit the GoFundMe site. To contact Jackie directly, email her at info@crackerjackstrategies.com.
