Rob Rivera G'18, G'19 in Los Angeles, where he鈥檚 provided emergency services and communications.
As wildfires raged through California in January, tearing apart thousands of lives, 麻花影视 responded by doing what it does best鈥攃oming together. Mimi Teller G鈥�22 and Rob Rivera G鈥�18, G鈥�19, alumni of the , have been part of the .
鈥淲e were thrown into the tragedy, despite living on opposite coasts,鈥� says Teller, a Los Angeles native. 鈥淭he University has strengthened our bond.鈥�
Working Around the Clock
Rivera is a professional photographer and videographer who volunteers for the American Red Cross鈥� Central and Northern New York Chapter. He was deployed to California for two weeks in January to assist Teller, the development communications manager of the . The duo worked around the clock providing emergency services and communications, including several prerecorded news stories鈥斺�減ackages鈥� in journalistic parlance鈥攁bout devastation and resilience.
鈥淭he level of devastation in California is like none other,鈥� says Rivera, who also has earned an聽聽and a聽, both from the聽.
Making a Difference
The Newhouse School has prepared me a thousand percent for what I do today,鈥� says Mimi Teller G'22 (right), development communications manager of the American Red Cross LA Region.
鈥淭he experience was surreal,鈥� recalls Teller, calling the wildfires some of the most destructive in LA history. 鈥淭hanks to our 麻花影视 education, Rob and I were able to make a difference.鈥� Teller, who also is a professional photojournalist, completed her master鈥檚 dissertation in communications after a 29-year hiatus. 鈥淭he Newhouse School has prepared me a thousand percent for what I do today.鈥�
Boots on the Ground
鈥淒isasters are interconnected. A wildfire in LA affects my family in 麻花影视," says Rivera, who, like Teller, graduated from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
Rivera met hundreds of displaced residents at American Red Cross shelters and disaster recovery centers. 鈥淭hese survivors are some of the bravest people I know,鈥� says the Army veteran and former EMT. He attributes his crisis communications acumen to master鈥檚 training in . 鈥淐ompetency is learned by real-world experience, which 麻花影视 offers plenty of.鈥�
Being There
Teller (right) believes that storytelling is a crucial coping device during a disaster. 鈥淚t helps people process their experiences.鈥�
Teller and Rivera created several video shorts about victims of the . 鈥淢ost of the time, they just needed a shoulder to cry on because they had lost everything,鈥� says Teller, an American Red Cross volunteer-turned-employee who has been deployed all over the world. The 24-day conflagration claimed 29 lives, displaced tens of thousands of residents and destroyed more than 16,200 structures.
Positioned to Help
Rivera outside one of the American Red Cross鈥� emergency shelters in LA.
Rivera has nearly 25 years鈥� experience in emergency services. (His first disaster assignment was 9/11.) No sooner had he arrived in LA than he was placed with Teller, who, unbeknownst to him, also had Newhouse roots. 鈥淪he鈥檚 a fantastic producer who emanates positive energy,鈥� says Rivera, owner of a 麻花影视-based photography and videography business. 鈥淲e had a good working chemistry.鈥�
Surveying the Damage
鈥淧laces that were important to me 鈥� are gone,鈥� says Teller, adding that the California wildfires have destroyed nearly 58,000 acres.
鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to capture on film the unspeakable devastation of a natural disaster,鈥� says Teller, noting that the wildfires were fueled by unusually high winds and dry conditions. 鈥淚 have seven close friends who鈥檝e lost their homes. And places that were important to me鈥攍ike where I had my bridal shower or where my best friend got married鈥攁re gone.鈥�
A Personal Touch
鈥淢ost of the time, [people] need a shoulder to cry on,鈥� says Teller, an American Red Cross volunteer-turned-employee.
鈥淧roviding comfort to disaster victims is just as important as giving them food and shelter,鈥� says Teller, who is both a beneficiary and benefactor of American Red Cross support. The fires began Jan. 7, the day of her husband鈥檚 birthday. 鈥淎fter a 17-hour shift, I helped relocate him, my 98-year-old mother and our dog to Coachella Valley [two hours east].鈥� Her home, located near the iconic Hollywood sign, was miraculously spared.
Reframing the Narrative
鈥淭he level of devastation in California is like none other,鈥� says Rivera, who鈥檚 covered hurricanes, floods, tornadoes鈥攁nd now wildfires.
鈥淭he ash and smoke were eerily reminiscent of 9/11," Rivera says. "And there was a palpable tension in the air." The California wildfires, which burned across 60 square miles, have been fully contained.
