A firefighter in Westmoreland is counting her blessings after losing everything to Hurricane Melissa last week, even as she worked tirelessly to save others in the storm’s path. When the category 5 hurricane swept across the parish on Tuesday, firefighter Kimarie Drummond was on duty at the Savanna-la-Mar station. While others sought shelter, she was out responding to calls and witnessing the strong wind tossing sheets of zinc off several structures.
“I was at work because I had a shift before Melissa,” she recalled. She added that she said a short prayer to God, pleading with him to spare her home. Drummond did not see the state of her home until the day after the storm, when she and her team were sent to clear blocked roads in Petersfield and nearby areas.
During the mission, it was discovered that most firefighters from the area lost their homes. “When we reached Catalina, the water was up to my waist,” she explained. She added that everyone on the fire truck was moved to tears when they discovered the first firefighter’s destroyed home.
Moments later, Drummond faced her own heartbreak when she discovered that a big tree fell on her house. “We went to my home. And when I got there, my home was no more. A big tree fell on it. My roof gone. Everything gone.”
Only a few belongings were salvageable, including a sofa her uncle had bought on loan, a freezer, and a suitcase with her baby’s clothes and birth certificate. “ That’s the only thing I have left from my home,” she said.
Since the incident, the firefighter’s mother and 9-month-old baby have been temporarily relocated to a family member’s residence. Meanwhile, Drummond has taken shelter at the station and travels back and forth to bring food for them. But with limited supplies and no access to cash, daily survival is a struggle. Drummond noted that food is short, and ATMs are not giving money. She said that all she currently has is $5,000 in cash to buy things for her baby and her mother.
Despite her loss, Drummond continues to help others in the community. The firefighter shared that she can relate to other victims who tearfully express that they have lost everything. However, even in despair, her faith remains unshaken, with her mother constantly motivating her. “My mother keeps telling me, ‘You have life, you have one job…We can rebuild.’” Drummond’s greatest desire now is to secure somewhere for her mother and her daughter. “I just want a roof over my mother and my daughter’s head. That’s all I want,” she added softly.
