OHNS Comes Together to Support Community Members Affected by the Fires

The recent wildfires have been among the worst that many people living in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas have seen. The devastation has been heartbreaking to witness and has felt debilitating at times, but amid the pain and devastation, those working within the USC Caruso Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (OHNS) have been buoyed by the outpouring of support from their department, colleagues, and community. OHNS leadership and faculty established clear communication and support systems. These initiatives ensured that every community member was heard and reassured during times of crisis, fostering a sense of reliance on one another and their respective teams.

Dr. Janice Loggins (AuD) was already concerned about the high winds in the area when on Monday, January 6, her son tried to go to work and had to call out because the powerful gusts nearly blew his van over. Then, on Tuesday, January 7 in the early evening, Loggins got word that a fire had started in nearby Eaton Canyon. She began to put a few things into the car–mostly items she didn’t want to get blown over by the wind and important paperwork–but there hadn’t yet been any indication of a need to evacuate. Around 10:30 PM that night, the wind was so strong that it knocked over a large tree, its trunk lying across the street and blocking in everyone who lived on this quiet cul de sac. Several of Loggins’ neighbors came out with chainsaws, working fast to clear the tree from the road as well as calling Southern California Edison to ask them to turn off the electricity as part of the trunk was on top of a power line. By 12:30 AM, the fire was visible from Loggins’ home and her son came into her room, saying they needed to leave. They packed up the car with their two dogs, cat, and snake in crates, but even as they drove away, they still imagined this was a precautionary action, not realizing this was the last time they would see the house standing.

Earlier in the day on January 7, Sunitha Husson (PA-C) had received a call from her husband saying that their electricity had gone out around 4:30 PM because of the windstorm, so on her way home from work, she stopped to pick up some dinner (since they wouldn’t be able to cook) and to fill up at the gas station. The wind was so strong that she almost got blown over. Husson, her husband, her two sons, and their dog Shaker live in Altadena across from Eaton Canyon, and as she drove up to the house, she could see a fire at the base of one of the electrical towers, though visibility was limited because of the trees. When she arrived home, her two sons, ages 22 and 19, were already outside taking pictures of the smoke, and in the next 10 to 15 minutes, as the fire erupted on the hillside, Husson knew that she and her family needed to evacuate immediately. She left the house with her sons, the dog, and a safety deposit box with important documents, her husband following soon after. There was no time for anything else like photos or extra clothes. It was terrifying to see the winds so high and embers flying, and though Husson eventually learned that her house was somehow spared from complete destruction and hadn’t burned down, it will still likely be at least 3 to 6 months until her family can move back in given the intense damage from the smoke and ash, which filled the entirety of the house.

Loggins has long been grateful for the generosity of her division chiefs, Dr. John Parsons (AuD) and Dr. Nicole Greene (AuD), who have both been calling to check in and see how she’s doing. Even before the fires, their compassion and kindness was evident this past fall when she had to go on disability leave for a broken shoulder only a week before her partner Mike passed away from glioblastoma. Loggins notes that the department helped to make sure that in those precious last days and hours with Mike, she didn’t have to worry about emails or work obligations, and there hasn’t been any pressure for Loggins to come back into the clinic before she’s ready (though she certainly misses her clinical and advocacy work with families who have a child who has been identified with hearing loss).

Similarly, Husson knows that it says a lot about USC and the community she has at OHNS that she has always felt the support and thoughtfulness of this close-knit community, with her attending doctor contacting her right after the fires and encouraging her to take some time off to get herself situated. Husson was eager to go back to work the following week, though, as she knew how important it was for patients to be seen in a timely fashion. Many of her patients live in Altadena and lost their homes, and she has found it therapeutic for both for herself and for patients to share their stories as they engage in the process of grieving and rebuilding.

On a broader scale, the department has rallied as a Trojan Family and made themselves available to address the needs of impacted colleagues by offering donations, pet shelter, volunteer hours, and providing air filters, gift cards, and children’s clothing. On Sunday, February 9, OHNS staff and faculty volunteered at Project Angel Food, which provides nutritious meals to individuals facing critical illnesses in underserved communities. The recent wildfires have affected many who receive and rely on meals from Project Angel Food, and OHNS volunteers stepped into action by chopping and assembling meals in a food preparation facility. Participation in this event aligned with their mission for community outreach and engagement, strengthening ties to the local community and reinforcing their dedication to promote health and uplift the local community.

As Husson reflects on how the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire have impacted Southern California overall, she knows that it will take years for these communities to recover. Loggins hopes to emphasize that for those who have been displaced and who have lost their homes, everyone’s experiences should be recognized as significant, and both she and Husson are grateful to have such an amazing support system at work.