RIVERWOOD TOWERS: PUTTING THE RESPONSIVENESS VALUE TO WORK

Day one of construction for Riverwood Towers’ rehab was eventful to say the least. The contractors cut into a floor and a main wire which set fire to an electrical box outside of the office window. Hope Stewart, Community Manager at Riverwood Towers, states, “All I had on my mind was listening to the generator, two feet away, kick on (like it is supposed to do when you lose power) and knowing that it was gas next to a fire. I just had the mindset of getting the residents out of the building quickly.”

All staff kicked into evacuation mode. The residents, unable to walk down the stairs, were previously instructed to stay in the stairwells and wait for the Riverwood staff to assist. With the help of the local fire department, property staff members, Pat and Ernest, assisted the residents starting on the sixth floor and worked their way to each floor. So that every resident could be accounted for, Hope immediately grabbed the Resident Directory that she keeps on her desk.

Larry Stolts, Maintenance Lead, worked with the Fire Department to get the electricity shut down. When the building shut down, residents were relocated to a community area where the staff could start the process of assigning housing until the power could be restored. The staff worked with the Red Cross on making sure all residents had a place to stay.

Some residents stayed with family and friends while other residents were housed by Red Cross at the local community center then placed in a hotel. Food was supplied to the residents during this time; but more importantly, all residents were safe. The building was shut down for three days. During this time, On Call watched the entry doors around the clock to ensure safety. During the time that the residents were displaced, the staff retrieved residents’ medications and fed pets that were left behind.

Marcia West, Regional Property Manager, continued to work with the contractors allowing the staff to focus on the residents. A special thank you to the Riverwood Towers staff for demonstrating responsiveness and care. The residents are now safely back in their apartments.