Stranger helps fire victims get information

Paul Prunty doesn't like to stand still when disaster strikes.

"When (hurricane) Katrina happened, I felt really bad that I couldn't do anything, so whenever a high-level event happens, I try to see how I can help" said the 40-year-old stay-at-home dad from Cypress, who played the role of makeshift scribe this afternoon, helping direct a wary throng of apartment dwellers as they tried to get back into their homes to survey damage.

After hearing on the TV news about the destructive fire that had ravaged some of the Cascades apartments in Anaheim Hills, he simply got in his minivan, drove there and offered to help.

He encountered a tense and confusing scene of residents "mobbing" police and fire officials for information on whether they'd be granted access to their possibly damaged homes. People strained to hear the announcements of addresses above the din of the crowd.

Thinking he could help defuse the situation, Prunty retrieved an 8-foot piece of scrap lumber from his minivan and used plastic zip ties to strap it to a traffic sign near the entrance, fashioning a low-tech information board.

Armed with a permanent marker and dressed casually in a white T-shirt and cargo shorts, Prunty simply tallied the addresses that had been cleared of danger on the board and answered questions from passing cars and distraught families.

And he stood by his makeshift post Sunday afternoon as the scrawled addresses crept down the board.

While many in the crowd thought he had the look of a crisis management representative being paid by the property management company, he wasn't. He was just a good samaritan and had to set a few people straight, telling them:

"I'm just a guy with a pen and a board repeating what I've heard," he said. "And that's all I profess to be."

--Tony Barboza

Comments

[videogame writer guy]

Wow - this guy is a real-life superhero.

Good for him. I'm sure he made life easier for a lot of people at a very stressful time, and possibly helped keep some folks out of danger.

[eunice]

I saw this guy, I thought it was a neighborg, then I tought he was with the management. He was been very nice and helpfull. I saw when he was writing the addresses for people to read and hwlping and directing people. How toughtful it was for him to come over and help us. Thank you for your time and your kind heart. God bless you. Also, thanks to the Journey Church for taking their time to and bringing us support, pizza and beverages. God bless all of you. Thank you for thinking of us.