On behalf of the Jamestown Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all those who responded to the unit fire at the Senior High Rise on West Fifth Street on Monday evening, March 11th. The Jamestown Fire Department, The Jamestown Police Department, New York State Police, Town of Carroll Police, Town of Ellicott Police, Celoron Fire Department, Alstar Ambulance, Chautauqua County EMS, The American Red Cross, Jamestown Department of Development were all available on site. We are extremely saddened by the death of one resident in whose unit the fire began. Our sincere condolences are extended to his family and friends.

As elevators are inoperable during a fire, it was necessary for the firefighters to rapidly climb the 7 flights of stairs, carrying their equipment, to get to the burning unit. The fire was extinguished quickly. All residents were evacuated to safety from this 9-story building with the assistance of the professionals on site, as well as board members and staff. This included extra trips from those who returned to apartments to retrieve pets, medicine, and other items necessary for relocation.

Thanks also go to the Mayor, Kim Ecklund and Department of Development Director, Crystal Surdyk and the City of Jamestown inspectors who spent many hours ensuring that residents were safe, and all apartments were inspected to determine which units were safe to occupy and those that had been damaged by smoke or water. The Red Cross relocated about 15 residents to the Fluvanna Community Church where they spent the night. Our thank you’ s would not be complete without recognizing the tremendous effort and coordination led by our Executive Director, Joe Gerace. We are fortunate that his knowledge, skills, and efforts were on site and will lead us through the days ahead as we address our building and tenants’ needs.

This experience, while tragic, has allowed us to see the best in humanity. So many of those on site were selfless in their energy and expertise and at the same time sincere and humble in their interactions with others. We, the Board of Commissioners at Jamestown Housing Authority, are proud to be a part of a community of dedicated professionals, strong leadership, neighboring community resources and resilient people. We are grateful, indeed!

Sharon Hamilton is Chairperson of the Jamestown Housing Authority board.