When news about the Lilac fire got out on Thursday, December 7, NLRC staff working with the Alianza Comunitaria rapid response network started to mobilize to get informed about the fire and to get reliable information in Spanish to the network which reaches 30,000 people in North County.

Over 20 volunteers from throughout North County who form part of the Alianza Confirmation Team (ACT) took action, first to document the fire itself to assess the location and direction, then to inform the community about shelters available, and then to visit the shelters to volunteer and observe.

Online, Alianza Comunitaria shared information coming directly from the volunteers on the ground and from updates sent from the County through sdcountyemergency.com and their downloadable app SD Emergency.

Volunteers in the ACT group are individuals and representatives from community groups like the National Latino Research Center, Universidad Popular, Fallbrook Human Rights Committee, Human Rights Council of Oceanside, and the Vista Community Clinic among others.

At the shelters, volunteers observed to make sure nobody was turned away due to lack of identification, served as interpreters, and helped distribute donations.

Volunteers like Lillian Serrano stayed overnight at the Palomar shelter for 3 nights, attending to Latin@ families.

Currently Alianza Comunitaria is working with the Farmworker Care Coalition in directing affected families to the recovery center and will do further assessments.

For more information about Alianza Comunitaria contact [email protected].