Hutchinson Homeowners Find Support After Two Blazes
When Megan Hamby’s husband, Jason, called her at 4:30 a.m. on January 3 after leaving for work, she never could have imagined that a phone call about forgotten work boots could very well have saved their lives.
“He called for me to unlock the door, which was very unusual, since he rarely forgets anything for work. But it’s a good thing because I was barely back asleep when I heard the smoke detector going off. Had I been sleeping deeply I may not have heard it.”
The Hamby family home, where they have lived for 14 years, was on fire. “Something told me to open the back door, and the whole back of the house was on fire. I was able to go wake up my kids, everybody got out safely, even the dogs.”
While Megan was able to get her four children and pets out unscathed physically, the mental and emotional toll of what lay ahead was just beginning to unfold. Shortly after moving back home after the repairs from the initial fire, tragedy struck again.
“The second fire, I was not home. I was out of town. My daughter called. That was very scary for her. With two fires now, and being out of the home, and still paying all our general bills, it’s been a struggle.” It was determined that the source of the fires was faulty electrical wiring, combined with metal siding that was acting as a whole-home conductor. If the Hamby’s were ever to live safely in their home again, both the electrical and siding would need to be replaced, as well as all of the other fire-damaged areas. This was no small feat, considering that the type of insurance the Hamby’s had on their land-contract home wasn’t adequate.
“The homeowner’s insurance covered $3,200. After the deductible it was more like $1,900, and it was more than $40,000 damage to the house. We were just really struggling as we tried to navigate what to do next.”
Fortunately for the Hamby’s, they live in Hutchinson, a community where organizations partner with one another, and where Interfaith Housing, the South Central Kansas Economic Development District (SCKEDD), and the Hutchinson Housing Commission have joined forces to leverage American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars from both the City of Hutchinson and Reno County for the betterment of housing conditions in Reno County. “My three-year-old is in Head Start, and they put together a booklet of resources (for us) and Interfaith Housing was one of them. I was able to contact them, fill out the application, and they came out and looked at the house with us. I was hopeful we could get assistance.” Megan’s hope came to fruition, as her family’s home began to undergo major renovations and repairs, thanks to ARPA funds.
“They have done the siding, the windows, a new back door, and some of the electrical work we needed done. Every chance I get I am telling people about Interfaith Housing. If it can help me with this big project we didn’t think we’d see past, I know that it could potential help other people.” Megan and her family will be settled back into their home soon, but this experience has left an impression on them that will last a lifetime. “I sat down and thought about everything, and it makes me thankful to be a part of a community where there are resources, even though many people don’t know about them. I’m here to spread the word so other people can get help. Now I feel led to do more myself in my community to help others.”