Spokane Teacher Volunteers Twice for Wildfire Recovery

When wildfires swept through Spokane, Washington on August 1st, local schoolteacher Keegan Tarbell spent the first weekend glued to his phone, checking on friends and family who faced evacuation. But watching the news wasn't enough for him.

Before receiving any military orders, Tarbell showed up at a local school and community center to help however he could. He watched children while their parents filled out insurance paperwork and sought emergency assistance, giving stressed families a few moments of relief during their darkest days.

"It's been really tough to see events unfold," said Tarbell, who also serves as a sergeant in the Washington Army National Guard's 341st Military Intelligence Battalion. "My wife and I spent a good chunk of that first weekend checking in with friends and family, making sure they were safe or if they needed anything."

Days later, Tarbell got a second chance to serve when he was activated for state duty with the National Guard. This time, he worked alongside the American Red Cross to prepare emergency relief packages filled with water, meals, work gloves, trash bags and cleanup supplies for families whose homes had been destroyed.

The mission brought together Washington Army and Air National Guard members from across the state, many meeting for the first time. Together, they organized donated supplies, assembled recovery packages, and delivered them directly to affected neighborhoods.

Sunny's Take

What makes Tarbell's story special isn't just that he helped twice. It's that he represents thousands of quiet heroes who show up for their communities without fanfare or orders.

Schools, food banks, businesses and relief organizations throughout Spokane rallied around displaced families. Tarbell got to see the full circle of community care, from volunteers donating supplies to Guard members delivering them to doorsteps.

"The relief that they have brought to a lot of the families, or just the burden they've tried to take off their shoulders, even if it's only for a little bit, has been pretty inspirational," Tarbell said.

Because National Guard members live and work in the communities they serve, they often respond to emergencies in their own neighborhoods. For Tarbell, protecting Spokane wasn't just duty—it was personal.

His double volunteer effort shows what happens when everyday people refuse to sit on the sidelines during crisis.