THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 15, 1996 TAG: 9605150395
SECTION: MILITARY NEWS PAGE: A8 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: My Turn
SOURCE: Jack Dorsey
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
Capt. Donald J. Santapaola, the executive officer of Oceana Naval Air Station, wants to get the word out that the Navy really appreciated what the community did to help the recent fire victims from Wheery Housing.
``We are dumbstruck and overwhelmed by the generosity of the whole community for those sailors and their families,'' he said. ``I haven't seen anything like this in a number of years.''
The Navy housing area has been the scene of three fires in the past month that routed at least 20 families (more than 40 people) from their homes. No one was hurt.
While the third fire, confined to a single unit, most likely started from a burning sofa, the previous two, which burned several units, could have been related to faulty wiring in the 1950s-era development.
Santapaola has made sure that the remaining structures have been inspected for safety.
``We . . .made sure nothing is unsafe,'' he said.
Wherry Housing, once a 400-unit complex, has been reduced to about 200 as the Navy begins closing it down. Most likely it will be fully closed over the next nine years.
But back to Oceana's gratitude for helping the fire victims.
Lt. Rachel Dienna, Oceana's billeting officer who took on the special assignment of crisis response coordinator after the fires, also was impressed with the response from the civilian and military communities.
One of the most impressive was Plaza Apartments manager Vicki Rollins, the wife of a Virginia Beach fire chief who responded to one of the fires.
``She had a contact in Richmond and Williamsburg and brought in truckloads of clothes, toys, pillows and furniture,'' said Dienna.
``We had to organize a couple of working parties to unload the trucks,'' added Santapaola.
The expected agencies were there, such as the Red Cross, Navy Relief, Navy League, Family Services, chaplains, counselors, ombudsmen. They're always dependable.
But, said Dienna, the unexpected help came from everywhere: the Wherry Housing resident who showed up with bags and boxes of food; the Birdneck Elementary School folks who brought clothing and provided a counselor; the Child Development Center and Youth Services Department that sent baby-sitters so moms and dads could concentrate on other matters.
There were ombudsmen and support people such as: Shirley Bendar, Julie Winters and Jill Layre from Fighter Squadron 143; Maureen Kennon from Attack Squadron 34; and ``Tami'' from the carrier George Washington - all representing families of deployed sailors whose apartments had been destroyed. They helped families obtain necessary items and helped get the sailors back from their ship, which was midway through a six-month Mediterranean and Persian Gulf deployment.
There were Wendy Vansteingburg, the wife of a member of the carrier air group command; Crystal Kilburg, a resident of nearby Wadsworth Housing; Alice Harper, with the Naval Station Wives Club. There were the command master chiefs at Oceana and the air wings; First Hospital Corporation; Navy Legal Services; the naval station galley; combined bachelor quarters; security detachments; Supply Corps Officers Wives Club.
The Golden Corral restaurant presented each family with free meal coupons. Nu Home TV and Furniture gave away complete living room, dining room and bedroom sets.
``What I'm most concerned about is that we left some people off the list,'' said Dienna.
What's more surprising is that the Navy is surprised at how Hampton Roads responds to such disasters.
It always has, whether civilian or military. by CNB