Keep roads open
Due the the Valley Fire support crews that are located around the Lake County Fairgrounds in Lakeport, there will be increased traffic. The public is asked to use alternate routes and avoid Martin St. to Lakeport Blvd. and Bevins St. from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. until further notice.
Pharmacists can provide medications
The California State Board of Pharmacy has voted to allow pharmacists in Lake, Napa, Amador and Calaveras Counties and adjacent counties to furnish needed and previously prescribed medications to wildfire evacuees, even if prescriptions are not on file with the pharmacy.
This waiver of certain regulations will also be in effect for evacuees to the adjacent counties of Alpine, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tuolomne and Yolo.
The Board of Pharmacy held an emergency meeting in Sacramento Tuesday to respond to Governor Brown’s declaration of a state of emergency because of raging wildfires.
The decision reached by the board temporarily waives some prescription requirements and allows pharmacies and hospital pharmacies to furnish wildfire evacuees with up to a 30-day supply, at the pharmacist’s discretion, of medically necessary drugs for themselves or their pets without presentation of a prescription or prescription drug container. This waiver does not apply to controlled substances or sterile compounded prescriptions.
Pharmacists must attempt to contact the prescriber or the pharmacy which previously filled the prescription, but even without this, pharmacists may still supply medically necessary prescription medications to those displaced by wildfires in the affected counties.
The emergency waiver will be in effect as long as a state of emergency exists.
Rotary Clubs positioned to help
The Rotary clubs of Lake County, consisting of Middletown, Clearlake, Kelseyville and Lakeport, are well positioned to help those in need the most.
We are encouraging anyone who is interested to send their donations to the Lakeport Rotary Valley Fire Relief Fund, or donations can be made online by going to the web site www.lakeportrotary.org. Simply click on the “Donate” tab. All funds will be used for the relief effort for the recent fires in Lake County.
Please Mail Checks to:
Lakeport Rotary Valley Fire Relief Fund
P.O. Box 937
Lakeport, CA 95453
All four Lake County Rotary clubs will work closely together to determine how to best distribute the donated funds. We have all opened our homes and continue to do what we can to help those with immediate needs, but the days, weeks, and months ahead are when some big challenges will unfold. All donations will stay within Lake County and will be subject to the oversight of the local Clubs involved.
Redwood Credit Union Offers Financial Assistance
Redwood Credit Union (RCU) is offering financial assistance to residents of Lake County who have been affected by the recent fires. These programs include: an interest-free loan of up to $5,000 for up to 12 months; a special 1.90 percent APR auto loan through RCU Auto Services for those who lost vehicles in the fires; a 2.90% APR RV loan to assist displaced homeowners with temporary shelter; increased RCU Visa credit card limits to assist with emergency purchases; loan payment relief on RCU loans and lines of credit; and other financial assistance programs to meet the needs of victims of the Lake County area fires. Detailed information on these programs is available at www.redwoodcu.org/firereliefprograms.
“Our hearts and thoughts go out to those impacted by these devastating fires, and we want to help them get back on their feet as quickly as possible,” said Brett Martinez, President & CEO of Redwood Credit Union. “We are offering these financial assistance programs to give fire victims some peace of mind as they start to recover from this devastating event. We’re here to help.”
Lake County area residents impacted by the fires who are interested in RCU’s special fire assistance programs can call (707) 545-4000 or 1 (800) 479-7928, option 2, 3, or visit any of Redwood Credit Union’s 16 branches.
In addition to special financial assistance programs for victims of the fire, Redwood Credit Union is accepting financial donations via a secure website at www.redwoodcu.org/lakecountyfirevictims, or at any of RCU’s 16 North Bay and San Francisco branches. All of the funds collected will go to aid fire victims and relief efforts in the affected areas.
In need of mattresses, furniture
Donations of furniture and mattresses, particularly twin-sized mattresses. are being sought for victims of the Valley Fire. Anyone with items they would like to donate may contact Allen’s Furniture of Lakeport at 262-0335 to arrange free pick up and delivery of those items.
