PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. -- As families across metro Atlanta gather to celebrate the holidays, some are facing the season with unimaginable loss.

Among them is Kiesha Archer, a single mother raising five children at home and a 911 dispatcher in Paulding County, who now finds herself on the receiving end of emergency assistance after a devastating fire destroyed her home.

Archer, who has spent years sending help to others in crisis, was off duty on Dec. 16 when she received a life-altering call -- from her own dispatch center.

"I left my house thinking I was going to pick up my daughter, get a pup cup for our dog, and then come home to cook dinner and watch Christmas movies," Archer said. "But my 911 director called me and said, 'I need you to sit down. We've got a call at your house, and your house is on fire.'"

The outside of her home remained largely intact, but the interior was destroyed.

Everything inside was either burned or damaged beyond repair by smoke and water.

"Even the things that didn't get burnt are so damaged from the smell, the smoke, and the water, nothing is salvageable," Archer said.

While Archer is grateful that she and her children are safe, the abrupt displacement has been particularly challenging for one of her sons, who is autistic. The sudden change in routine and environment has forced him to readjust, adding to the family's stress.

Archer is a single mother raising five children at home, but her family extends even further -- she has four older children who are living independently.

She describes herself as a "mom first," and balancing her large family while working in emergency services has always been a juggling act.

The family's cat, Pearl, was initially thought to be lost in the fire, but the family found her alive four days later in the neighborhood.

"So now we're all back together, just taking it one day at a time," Archer said, reflecting on how quickly life can change.

Returning to work as a dispatcher has been difficult. Archer described her first call involving a structure fire after losing her home as particularly emotional.

"I could feel my heart pounding, but then I just went into my normal dispatcher mode," she said.

Archer and her children are now staying with a friend and received assistance from the Red Cross, but they are far from rebuilding their lives.

She's searching for a rental home and trying to piece together what her family lost. Insurance representatives have estimated it could take six months to a year before her home is rebuilt.

"You don't realize how quickly everything can change," Archer said.

Her colleagues at Paulding County 911 created an online fundraiser to help Archer and her family. You can donate here.