A Silver Manor resident addressed Catasauqua Borough Council recently about assistance he received following the May 2 fire.

Daniel Haines was a resident of Silver Manor Adult Living apartments at the time of the fire.

At the council meeting May 5, Sean McHugh introduced Daniel Haines who was a resident of the apartment building on Front Street.

"I was impressed with the response of Catasauqua's Fire and Police Department," Haines said. However, he was less than complimentary about the help he received from the Red Cross and the building's owner, Fred Silver.

"The Red Cross would not even get us a room until I said I was going to talk to the newspaper," he said. "Fred Silver gave me three bucks to tide me over until I could find a place."

Haines showed council a gym bag with all his possessions.

"I lost everything I had in the fire," he said. "This is all I have left." He had nowhere to stay that night.

Fire Chief Richard Hertzog explained the Red Cross initially denied a housing request from Haines because they did not understand the situation. Once everything was cleared up, the Red Cross provided housing for him for three days.

Hertzog left the council meeting to assist Haines.

Haines' situation was not lost on council. Councilman Eugene Schlegel recommended that Emergency Management be involved in putting a plan together for emergency temporary shelters. Council President Brian Bartholomew asked for a quick fix to resolve similar problems short term and that the borough look at resolving the problem long term.

Bob Sook, a resident who attended the meeting, said shelters and churches are available to provide assistance.

Bartholomew acknowledged that services are available, but there is not an overall plan in the borough to coordinate emergency shelter needs.

Some news outlets, although The Press was not one of them, reported the Silver Manor had an adult day care center. According to borough Manager Eugene Goldfeder, it is a rooming house.

"They were unable to meet the requirements for adult day care," he said.