(The Center Square) – Assessors from the Red Cross are moving in to take stock of the damage done in Spokane County’s Gray Fire and Oregon Road Fire. And in some cases, so are Red Cross imposters looking to scam people.
“You will notice that the Red Cross, and others from the [Department of Natural Resources] and other teams, will be coming around to do damage assessments of properties,” explained Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels at Tuesday night’s Spokane County Emergency Management meeting on the wildfires. “That’s something that has to happen.”
Nowels urged people to be on the lookout for fake Red Cross personnel trying to take advantage of the situation.
“But there are apparently people posing as the Red Cross asking to come into homes,” he said. “I have been asked by the Red Cross to assure you that the Red Cross will never ask to come into your home to do a damage assessment.”
Nowles pointed out that legitimate Red Cross workers will have proper attire and identification.
Real Red Cross staff or volunteers wear easy-to-spot Red Cross-branded vests and motor vehicles. Most Red Cross employees and volunteers wear identification badges. And they never work alone.
“If you find someone who is [asking for access to your home], call us, we’d like to talk to them,” Nowels said.
Last week, police arrested two people for residential burglary in a region of Medical Lake that is part of the Gray Fire evacuation zone.
Area residents are advised to go to the Spokane County Emergency Management website for further updates on the wildfires.
