Mon, Aug 7th, 2023 - 5:48pm
January 30, 2020 - 5:47pm | By Chris Larson
The following statement has been released by Dave Saemrow, Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations at Cassia, in regards to the Elim Rehab and Care Center fire in Fargo:
First of all, we are extremely grateful no one was hurt and very grateful for the expertise and excellence of our staff, described by the fire chief as doing a flawless job of evacuating our residents. In addition, we very much appreciate the outpouring of support from Fargo and surrounding areas. Cassia is giving $100 gift cards to residents to begin providing help with personal needs and clothing left behind during the evacuation. Additional donations and other financial support will also be provided to help residents and others affected by the fire.
Since the fire occurred on January 23, we have discovered the damage was far more significant than originally anticipated. It will take a lot longer to repair or rebuild—a minimum of one year, according to calculations by construction and repair experts. Although we wish we had better news, we cannot continue to stay open during this time.
Our hope is that, with Fargo’s tight labor market and 2% unemployment, staff will be able to transition somewhat quickly into new roles at the 10 organizations where our residents now live. We’re encouraging our staff to follow our residents to their new homes. We know our residents would love seeing a friendly face they know, while the care communities themselves would appreciate additional help.
We are providing extended financial support and benefits in the coming months and offering job fairs for local skilled nursing communities and other area employers. These job fairs offer opportunities for people to connect with potential employers and learn more about current career openings. We will also provide a variety of additional support services, such as resume assistance and resources through the Employee Assistance Program. When Elim Rehab and Care Center does reopen, we really hope employees will rejoin our mission and ministry.
