of dealing with insurance adjustors, being fairly compensated for their losses and rebuilding th... Old Fire victims cheer pro

The last of four tours of rebuilt homes or homes being rebuilt i s being held today by the group on Modesto Drive, where four homes were destroyed. The event will feature a potluck dinner.

"It kind of helps to bolster their spirits so they can see that there is an end in sight," said Lila Hayes, Crandall's daughter, who helped spearhead the group and tours.

In the past year, the Old Fire Recovery Group has produced six newsletters, put on more than 30 workshops, testified at government hearings regarding insurance and worked with local officials to help cut through red tape to expedite the rebuilding process.

"I was also denied help from the (Small Business Administration) and the San Manuels," said Crandall. "By the time I got to Wal-Mart, they had stopped giving out the 10 percent discounts. Everywhere I turned I was denied."

At previous meetings, some victims of the devastating October 1991 Oakland-Berkeley Hills Fire spoke about how the insurance process works. That fire killed 25 people, destroyed nearly 3,000 homes and cost more than $1.5 billion.

"They said it would take anywhere from two to 10 years to get back into our homes. We were quite distressed to hear this," Crandall said. "Each step of the way they were preparing us."

Crandall finally settled with her insurance company and started the process of rebuilding her home on Valentine's Day 2004. Another inspection is slated this month.

She's been renting an RV and living in it in the driveway at her parents' Highland home. When the new house is built, she plans to move her parents in with her.

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