Roundup of fire response support

Firkin & Fox owner extends 'courtesy' to first responders

Jim Phalan, owner of the Firkin & Fox and High Sierra Brewing Company in Carson City, had his south Reno store, Firkin & Wolf, briefly serve as the home of some of the first responders.

He said his staff offered them coffee, water and whatever else they needed, a "courtesy" he would gladly continue to extend and would do again.

"These guys are putting themselves in harm's way to protect our property," said Phalan, who lives in Carson City. "When you think about it, (what we offered is) really not all that much."

His restaurant also had a personal stake in the fire: One of its employees lost an outbuilding in the fire.

"Our sincere, heartfelt thoughts go out to all those affected by the fire," he said. "Thank God we finally got some help from the weather."

Carson Holiday Inn cuts room rate for fire victims

Jane Richmond, general manager at the Carson City Holiday Inn Express, took immediate action when she heard the word "fire" associated with Washoe Valley: She knocked about 25 percent off her room rates for those affected.

"We experienced the 2005 fire, so we knew what to expect," Richmond said.

She said she saw about 35 people come into her lobby at the north end of the city, a lot of them "breaking down and crying" at the potential of losing their homes and animals. At about noon on Friday, a lot of them were leaving, she said.

The Holiday Inn will work directly with insurance companies to make it as easy on the victims as possible, she said. And for those who couldn't pay, she said, her company will work with them - not to mention the other customers who were offering to cover the difference.

"We just keep it really simple, really easy for them," Richmond said. "They don't need the stress, so we try to take away as much stress as we can."

The hotel's special rate is $89 versus the normal $119. It also accepts pets - even horses, if the owner wants to tether it up outside, Richmond joked.

National Guard helps fight fire, provides security

About 50 soldiers and airmen in the Nevada National Guard acted as security for the 11-mile corridor, ensuring no unauthorized personnel entered the area, according to news release from the guard.

The restricted access was for safety reasons, according to the release.

Three guard fire trucks, with supporting personnel, also helped battle the blaze Thursday but have since stood down. No other guard assistance has been requested, according to the release.

State of Nevada qualifies for federal emergency cash

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has authorized using federal cash to reimburse the state of Nevada up to 75 percent of eligible firefighting costs.

Gov. Brian Sandoval said Friday that a FEMA damage assessment team will be on site Tuesday.

BAWN offers free help for those who will rebuild

The Builders Association of Western Nevada is offering free professional advice on the rebuilding process for those who lost homes in the fire, including how to choose a qualified contractor and what to expect when rebuilding.

Victims can also call BAWN to have a contractor's license number verified through the State Contractor's Board. For more information about help that BAWN can give, contract Sheena Shrum at 882-4353 or go to www.bawn.org.