CEDAR GLEN, Calif., Oct. 24, 2007
Unlucky Woman Tempts Nature - Again
From Katrina To The Wildfires, Dayna Czermak Has Been Tormented By Disaster
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One Disaster Too Many
Dayna Czermak fled hurricane Katrina, and then Rita. Now her home is in the direct path of a California wildfire ? but this time she's not running. Bill Whitaker reports.
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Dayna Czermak could be considered the unluckiest woman on the planet. Nature seems to chase her wherever she lives and this time she's riding out the firestorm. (CBS)
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Southern Calif. Firestorm
Photos, video and more from the devastating wildfires ravaging the region.
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Ferocious SoCal Fires
Blazes bedevil firefighters, force thousands to flee and leave rubble and ash in their wake.
Evening News Stories:
- Katie Couric: Memories In The Rubble
- Breathing Danger
- The Birth Of The Mega-Fire
- Tempting Nature — Again
- Katie Couric: Taking Shelter
- Officials Fight To Get Residents Out
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“The flames were five stories high!” she said.
Along with a tiny band of neighbors, she is defying mandatory evacuation orders.
“We’re the ones who refused to leave,” a neighbor said.
You see, she’s been through much worse, CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker reports.
She lived in New Orleans for 18 years, until Katrina destroyed her home. She and her family fled to Houston where Hurricane Rita forced her and her family to run again.
Three weeks ago she moved into a house in California, just in time for this firestorm.
And if that weren’t enough, as a child in California, a fire almost destroyed her home.
Then there was the day in 1994 when she flew back to visit her brother in Northridge … yes, the very day of the Northridge earthquake.
Does she feel like she’s been hounded by the fates?
“Yes, I do,” she laughed.
But she doesn’t feel unlucky.
“I don't feel unlucky,” she said. “I do feel like disaster is following me.”
But she’s not crazy. She sent two kids to safety off the mountain. She packed her car in case the fire jumps the ridge.
She said she stayed because three-year-old Nicholai is sick and his hospital is just down the road. A crowded evacuation center, she feels, would be worse for him.
But then there is this:
“You get tired of running and nature has ruled my life,” she said. “And taken away my home on many occasions and I don't want to lose it.”
And maybe, just maybe, standing her ground, looking fate in the eye might break her cycle of bad luck.
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Hello;
I can UNDERSTAND why people DON''T ant to leave their homes. If you had a neighbor, and that neighbor let you know that a group of criminals had plans on commiting a home invasion robbery on your home within the hour, would you leave your kids behind and FLEE?
This MUST be the feeling that most people who WANT to stay behind... must have. And you can''t blame them. After all, the FIRE CHIEF already said that there aren''t enough FIRE FIGHTERS to contain ALL FIRES raging at once, then you must feel RESPONSIBLE for fighting this fire YOURSELF, if need be.
But then, think.. what if the water PRESSURE runs very low... BECAUSE AFTER ALL, the fire Department is USING this WATER PRESSURE... to fight other fires as well.
So, how do you fight FIRES... ready to ENGULF your home? With sheer TENACITY? That''s not enough of a RESOURCE to go on.
The ANSWER may be in making sure the home you purchase is made of FIRE RESISTANT MATERIAL. Then, you at least may have a FIGHTING CHANCE.
Just a thought.
Thanks,
slim6744
Lance Czermak
Lake Arrowhead, CA
Why don''t we all pray for the victims thus far, and those that still may be affected days from now.
Stassi
Yeah, sometimes you just have to be there. "Walk a mile in my moccasins" is surely an important bit of advice. We (including yers truly) need to follow it more often.
Lance and Dayna, hope your son gets well quickly.
We''re so glad you''re safe, we''ve been pretty worried! No one could imagine how the last 4 1/2 yrs. have tested your faith and sanity, yet you remain strong & hopeful. I say it''s time for R&R in Wyoming! Please let us know if you''re coming so we can stock up on groceries & stuff cause I''m sure you''ll be bringing a blizzard with you!! We love you! Me&Ma
The police and fire have said that people refusing to evacuate have been a major problem, costing them manpower - and our firefighters and police are massively overstretched already on this fire. Deciding that you don''t need to evacuate makes it worse, means firefighters who should be stopping the fire have to protect you.
The shelters have everything, including medical personel. So many supplies have been donated the stadium actually had to tell people they''ve got enough, thanks.
I don''t know all of the situation, but to me, "mandatory evacuation" means leave now, or you are part of the problem.
Why the media hones in on people like this are beyond me. They could use valuable time showing stories of law abiding people who are in need of help or use the air time to broadcast donation numbers for the Red Cross, FEMA, whatever.
Jewels62883, you''re probably one of those people who supported all those "poor souls" in NO who defied the evacuation orders and then caused all the problems when they screamed, "help me!!!!" when they realized how INCREDIBLY STUPID it was to defy the order. NO sympathy.
if war rapes babies and the u.s. invests more into domestic warfare than most countries combined invest globally in warfare, then how is it so many great folk take to the front pages and flaunt the one military in the world that blows out more three year old *** than most countries combined while calling that security?
and if making folk pay for lunch is so lucrative, why has nearly each u.s. farm been forclosed on or sold to avoid forclosure?
and why do folk build companys with cheap labor, turn up their noses at cheap labor, starve third world countrys, then pay to move their companys to third world countrys for the purpose of hiring cheap labor?
... ''
'' ...
if the world''s ''favorite'' government and media outlets are so tolerant and respectful and so equal opportunity, how is that all the lazy naked ignorant profane promiscuous blemished kids were made to disappear? forever!?
... ''
'' ... 33 sick beds per night @ 33 villages of 300 for 3.3 cents to 1.00 dollar tip per sick bed / village ... @ 1.3 billion sick beds and 6.5 billion folk, there should be 5 folk rallied around any sick bed at anytime (dancing hike naked dance dressed get well feed world porn songs and dancing hike naked dance dressed get sick tax world porn songs too) ... ''
Lake Arrowhead, CA
Posted by Lczermak at 10:26 PM : Oct 24, 2007
Absolutely true these idiots insult and don''t have a clue. I am very glad to see that you are safe and hold hope for you. These morons who insult are the very same ones who insult all those who have the misfortune of living through this sort of stuff.
Good luck.
But seriously, she probably now can not get insurance of any kind- she''d be considered too much of a risk. And obviously no one will ever want to be her neighbour since she is a disaster magnet!
Mythoughtsr , I live in New Orleans. I was lucky that I was already out of town, when Katrina hit. Even so, I can understand why some people did not evacuate. There have been many ''false alarms'' about hurricanes over the years, that either did not hit New Orleans as predicted, or ended up not being as strong as predicted, so some people feel they are not in danger.
In addition, there are many people who either did not have transportation, or did not have anywhere to go, and couldn''t afford to stay in a hotel.
No one knows what the next moment will bring but I trust Lance & Dayna''s judgement completely.
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by sugarmice-2009
October 25, 2007 6:07 PM EDT
- I would just like to thank all of you with POSITIVE
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Reply to this comment
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See all 34 Commentspostings about this horrible fire - I have a brother that is only 20 miles from the area and he and the neighbors keep watch and hope they don''t have to evacuate - some have gone to help those in need and have also offered the spare rooms in their homes to the evacuees - it''s not just the fires, but the idiots who are out there trying to start more - they think it''s a rush to see the flames... hope they shoot them too - but what is in the future is rebuilding and trying to get their lives back in order and it will take years and many don''t have the means (financially/physically) to do this and they are the ones that need our help. We all reached out during Katrina - when the time comes, I hope we all can be a little bit helpful ..
Again, thank you all for your positive postings and these positive thoughts are taken full heartily and do help ... god bless you all