Bomb Scare Cancels Quake Hero’s Honors

Ford Scott woke up at 4 a.m. Tuesday to be in Northridge to receive a handshake and heroism award from President Clinton. But because of a bomb scare that forced the President to cut short his visit, Scott got neither.

The Ventura actor, who was to be recognized for his aid to victims of the Northridge earthquake one year ago, said helping families find new homes was its own reward.

“It was real self-rewarding just to see the end results of positive steps with a lot of families,” Scott said.

He was hired after the earthquake as a van driver for the Ventura County Housing Authority, but made it his mission to find housing for the displaced families he drove.

Housing authority officials said Scott worked 14-hour days, giving out his home phone number, persuading reluctant landlords and helping people move their belongings on weekends.

“He could have been making a lot more money,” said Cindy Marshall, Scott’s supervisor at the housing authority. She said Scott turned down a role in a Kevin Costner movie to continue helping disaster victims.

Scott said his wife, two sisters and his brother-in-law, who traveled with him to Northridge, were “a little bit disappointed” that Clinton was unable to personally greet him.

“Apparently, I’m supposed to get it in the mail,’ Scott said.

Separately, the Board of Supervisors honored more than a dozen county residents who overcame injuries and personal losses and, in some cases, went on to help others.

Among those honored were Fillmore resident Ellen Prendergast, whose mobile home was heavily damaged in the quake. Prendergast recalled being trapped in her mobile home, with the doors jammed and flames spurting from a nearby broken gas line.

“I said, ‘Oh, Lord, no, not a burning death,’ ” Prendergast said. “And then my beautiful dog, a black Labrador, came and bumped me on my left leg. She walked over to the back door and looked at me, like, ‘Come on, mother.’

“And I went through the doggie door to get outside.”

After the earthquake, Prendergast aided other residents of the El Dorado Mobile Home Park.