Santa Rosa, California— Jeff Okrepkie wants to make one thing completely clear.

Yes, his home burned to the ground after he, his wife, children, two dogs and the few belongings they managed to stuff into their car escaped a wall of blazing flames. But no, Okrepki insists, he is not a fireman victim.

"I'm a survivor," he said. "It may seem a little cheesy, but seeing myself that way has helped improve my mental state...I've been through things that a lot of people haven't been through."

Okrepuke and his wife lost their home and nearly everything they owned in the 2017 Tubbs Fire, which wiped out large swaths of wine country — including Santa Rosa’s middle-class Coffey Park Neighborhood – reduced to a pile of cinders and ash. At the time, it was the most destructive wildfire in California history. Soon, it may only be in third place, with the still-burning Los Angeles County fires at the top.

Okrepkie, 45, is a commercial real estate agent who was tragically displaced from his home. A few years later, he was elected by popular vote to the Santa Rosa City Council. He became an advocate for wildfire survivors, their champion, and a clearinghouse for recovery techniques through choices and his life experiences.

"How can you have all this information and not share it?" he said during a conversation this week just blocks from City Hall and a short drive from the subdivision, nearly 2 1/2 years after the fire drove him out Later, he returned there. "It seems selfish not to."

The October weekend that changed life in Okrepuke forever began with what now seems like blissful normalcy.

He and his wife, Stephanie, attended a wedding on Saturday, a welcome moment of alone time in the company of an adult. Their son, almost two, has recently "started climbing the walls," so he spent Sunday transforming his crib into "a big boy bed." After her makeup was done, Okreli took a photo because they were both so excited.

The rest happened in a flash.

A fire was reported in Napa, 40 miles away. His wife dozed in front of the TV news. Okrepuke fell asleep. His sister woke him up by calling to tell him that another fire had broken out in Calistoga, 16 miles away, and was spreading in strong winds.

Soon after, the fire jumped Highway 101 and its six lanes and headed toward Coffey Park. Stephanie Okrepkie drove away with her son, the family's black Labrador mix and their Cavalier King Charles spaniel. Jeff stayed behind, grabbing what he could, until a huge ember fell at his feet, shooting out sparks. He took off.

He divides his wildfire wisdom into two parts: before and after the disaster.

Before you're forced to leave, Okrepki suggests making a list of things to take with you. Figure out what you can get in five minutes or less, and start with the “things that are essential to your life”—passports, birth certificates, marriage certificates, insurance policies, wills, trusts. Expand the list to items you can collect in 10, 15, and 30 minutes.

Focus on things that are irreplaceable — “a parent’s urn, a wedding ring” — or have sentimental value, Okrepki says. Clothes, shoes, underwear, pet food; these types of things can be purchased later.

Okrepki particularly regrets leaving behind a photo of his grandparents, which his late grandmother carried everywhere with her. His wife lost the military uniform her father was wearing when he was killed in Iraq, although the couple found his identification tag and "challenge coin."

If you've lost your home, don't wait to find temporary housing, Okrepki continued. "Once you're settled somewhere," he advises, "start calling apartments." If you don't have furniture, make do with used or donated items. "When you get back to your house," Okrepke said, "that's when you start spending money on the table ... and it looks good in your home."

Beyond that, he advises patience.

For insurance purposes, take as much time as possible to catalog the loss. If you can raise $700,000 and spend 10 hours compiling a complete list, you'll make $70,000 an hour. "It's a pretty well-paying job," Okrepki said. "Think of it this way."

He also says to carefully document every interaction with your insurance company. You may deal with many claims adjusters, some of whom will leave before your claim is resolved. It's important to have written proof of what was said or promised so that you don't have to start with a new person every time.

When it comes to rebuilding - if that's your plan - don't rush. Yes, Okrepki said there is an understandable urge to get home as quickly as possible. But he warned against hasty decisions, in part because rules and regulations could change, affecting what and how rebuilding occurs. "If you're in a hurry, you might do something to fit into a box that suddenly becomes bigger three weeks later."

He's glad he bought his new home from a "mass builder" - where developers go through the permitting and legal process and then offer buyers a range of floor plans and options - rather than working individually with individual architects and builders.

"Most people have never built a house," Okrepki said. "They just bought a house that already existed. So they didn't know what would go together" — carpet, countertops, cabinets, tile, whatever. "And these people are saying, 'Yeah, we have this, this, this, this, this.'" It's easier to understand when your options are limited. "

Through it all, Okrepki said building and cultivating a sense of community is crucial.

"I could sit here and tell you my whole fire story," he said over lunch at a tavern in downtown Santa Rosa, "and you would relate." But even the most well-intentioned and compassionate Nor can one "do it in the same way" as someone who is going through what you are going through.

Okrepki said a friend started a party nicknamed "Wailing Wednesday," where survivors gathered — initially sitting on camping chairs amid the rubble — to drink beer and wine." Just talking to each other”. "No whining and complaining. Just having a conversation."

His campaign on behalf of the burned-out neighborhood earned him a seat on the City Planning Commission, which in turn helped Okrepki get elected to the Santa Rosa City Council in 2022.

As someone who has experience on both sides of disasters—as a wildfire survivor and as a government official dealing with the aftermath—he offers several pieces of advice for public officials.

"Be careful with your messaging because people may take things too personally," Okrepki said. "Don't call people homeless... We have a home. It's burning."

be patient. Very patient. Even if months and years pass and the initial trauma has faded, you're dealing with people who are still trying to cope with the worst experience of their lives. "Be careful not to be too dismissive or you can come across as callous," Okrepi said.

Don't be afraid to take bold action if your action can speed your recovery, he continued. “People who get elected are always worried about, ‘Am I going to piss off too many people?’ I think there’s nothing more selfless than risking your life for people who have everything to lose.”

It is especially important not to assume that survivors are seeking something more than before.

“We’re not asking for mansions,” Okrepuke said over a taco salad. "If you have a car that you really like and someone hits it, you don't say, 'I want a Maserati.' "Just give me what I have...I'm not trying to game the system. There are always bad apples who will try to do this. But most people are good people in terrible situations. "

It's very simple, he suggests. Be loving. Be kind.