Dayna Czermak, a resident of Lake Arrowhead, California, has recently gained attention as the “unluckiest woman” due to her unfortunate encounters with various natural disasters. With the ongoing wildfires in her region, she finds herself once again having to evacuate. In a heartfelt interview with Fox News Digital, Czermak expressed her anxiety while also empathizing with her neighbors in Running Springs, a nearby town, who are losing their homes to the blaze. “I’m nervous now, and I know so many people in Running Springs, the next little tiny town over that are losing their house right now as we speak, and it absolutely kills me,” she shared, highlighting the emotional toll these disasters take not only on individuals but on the broader community.
In San Bernardino County—home to Lake Arrowhead—a significant ensemble of nearly 2,000 firefighters and personnel is engaged in combating the raging wildfires that have consumed over 26,400 acres of land, as reported by Fox Weather. Czermak, a mother of four, revealed that she evacuated to her aunt’s house in Las Vegas after receiving a third emergency alert about the impending danger. “My car is full of pictures because I’m so sentimental. That’s what’s important to me, pictures,” she recounted, indicating that her most valued items are her cherished photographs, which she packed before leaving her home.
While Czermak and her children are safe in Las Vegas, her husband, Lance, remains behind in Lake Arrowhead, preparing for the final evacuation alert. The family’s current situation is relatively stable, but the shadow of uncertainty looms over them. Observing her community while leaving, Czermak remarked that many residents seemed to heed the evacuation warnings, indicating a sense of urgency among the townspeople. “It looks like they’re heeding the warnings, and everything’s closed up in town. No banks. No stores are open except for one grocery store… sheriffs, highway patrol, and fire trucks are everywhere,” she noted, describing the tense atmosphere in her hometown.
Czermak’s history with natural disasters is especially poignant. She reflected on the time she was dubbed the “unluckiest woman” by reporters, not necessarily for recent events but due to her long-standing encounter with five significant disasters over the years. Her experience includes the harrowing event of Hurricane Katrina in 2007, which wreaked havoc on her family while they lived in New Orleans. The catastrophic storm resulted in approximately ten feet of flooding in her home, causing extensive damage and forcing her family to evacuate as their living conditions deteriorated. “There was about 10 feet of flooding in my house. So everything on the bottom floor was completely destroyed,” she recalled, painting a grim picture of the destruction.
During that tumultuous time, Czermak and her family managed to escape the escalating crisis with the help of the National Guard, who mandated an evacuation. “We hopped into our car, which was submerged in water, driving it out of the hotel parking garage,” she explained, illustrating the panic and chaos that enveloped those desperate moments. They travelled approximately 20 hours to Houston, Texas, where they sought refuge with a friend for three months, but not before they would encounter yet another disaster—Hurricane Rita.
Two years ago, another extreme weather event struck Czermak’s life when a blizzard trapped her family in their home without electricity for 11 days, an experience she dubbed “Snowmageddon.” With a wealth of experience from these challenging situations, Czermak now imparts her wisdom to others, emphasizing the importance of being prepared and organized in the face of disasters. “I am normally scattered… Have everything in a place that you know, can be ready to go,” she advised.
Her son’s suggestion to relocate to Pittsburgh, a place seemingly free of natural disasters, was met with humor from Czermak. “I said, I am sure I’ll bring one with me, like flooding something,” she joked, encapsulating her resilient spirit amidst adversity. It is this blend of humor, empathy, and practicality that defines Czermak’s outlook on life as she navigates the ramifications of natural disasters in her community and beyond.
