You may have read or watched news stories about the fire. It erupted so swiftly that the residents were lucky to escape with their lives and without grave injuries. Some who fled their homes on Rush Street and adjacent Brook Street gathered their children instead of their belongings.

You also may have seen how Somerville firefighters swiftly got the blaze under control while braving a fire so intense it caused one building’s roof to collapse. We should all be proud of the work they did, and I commend them. But I was also impressed by people, including firefighters at the scene, who rushed to help out of the camera’s view that night—and are still helping today as I write. For the ousted families the fire was the scary start to a challenging period in their lives. This ordeal will have many stages, and the victims will continue to need your help as they try to recover. I’m hoping and betting that Somerville’s best side comes out again.

Most of these people lost everything they had. They were left with no photos, no spare clothes, no food, not even a toothbrush. They needed help immediately.

While the Fire Department was putting out the blaze, it also initiated contact with the American Red Cross to help the victims find shelter and support that night. This element to a firefighter’s job is often overlooked. These men and women know the human toll of a house fire better than anybody, and their instinct is to get help as soon as possible.

While the homes were still burning, neighbors also rushed out onto the street with donations of food and clothing. The Red Cross provided a bus, guidance, and cash cards so the victims could buy day-to-day provisions.

Meanwhile, businesses answered the call. The Holiday Inn provided a steep discount for rooms for the victims, which were paid for first by the Red Cross and then by community donations. They offered free meeting space for social service agencies, and when the families left, they sent them off with bags of needed supplies: towels, toiletries and other items. Staffers treated the victims with compassion and understanding. Local restaurants too numerous to mention were generous in helping to feed the victims.

Nonprofit groups and social service agencies truly stepped up during the fire and in its aftermath as well. Just-A-Start Corp. was in the process of closing a facility on Temple Street, but still made rooms available as short-term housing for some families who are still there. The Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS), notably Sam Davidson-Weiss and the Somerville Homeless Coalition also came through with emergency shelter and support to connect the victims to temporary housing.  Meanwhile, Lisa Davidson and the Homeless Coalition launched an online fundraising campaign, which has collected more than $22,000 so far. Thank you to all who donated.  It is heartening to see the community helping in its own this way. If you’d still like to donate, visit Crowdrise at www.crowdrise.com/helpvictimsofrushstreetfireinsomerville.

At least 15 of the victims were children under 12, and some attend the East Somerville Community School and the Capuano Early Childhood Center. The schools went into action immediately. Numerous school staff, notably Homeless Liaison Regina Bertholdo and Family Learning Collaborative Director Nomi Davidson, have been working hard since the night of the fire to make sure the children are able to continue get to school and have the supplies they need.

City employees across departments each took on needed tasks. To name just a few, Doug Kress, Director of Health and Human Services, coordinated a response team, worked tirelessly to locate temporary housing, and continue to manage services. Irma Flores, our SomerViva Spanish language liaison, translated calmly amid the frenzy and for days afterward assisted victims. Nancy Aylward, my administrative assistant, was our office’s communications center, working magic on the phone as she connected those who could help with those who needed it. Natasha Naim of the Somerville Council on Aging found temporary housing for an elderly woman. Theresa Hussey Rogers, a foreman in the Sewer Department who lives near the fire scene, kindly opened her home to the displaced as they awaited the Red Cross. Our Communications and SomerViva immigrant outreach team did what they do best: they got the word out, and donations surged. The victims have temporary places for the coming weeks now. But they have a long way to go. Most important, they need housing here in Somerville. Friends tend to tell friends when they know of an apartment with reasonable rent that’s opening up. Perhaps this time, if you have a lead on a unit, share that info with these families instead. Just drop us a line by calling 311.  They’ll also need your donations again soon once they find permanent housing. People have been so generous with clothing. Next these families will need kitchenware, furniture, and other basic items– all the things we take for granted that make a home. So please stay tuned for our call for these items when the time comes.

The generosity of Somerville gladdens my heart. You have been heroes, but this is just the first chapter of the story.