Firefighters head up to Kentucky to offer support after tornadoes

Lt. Kelly Michaels and Firefighter Austin Colvin with Triple Community Fire Department set out Wednesday afternoon for Kentucky, with Capt. James Deal and Firefighter Kyle Foy set to depart Thursday.

Once they arrive, they’ll be offering their professional expertise to help after tornadoes cut a devastating path through the western part of the state, leaving at least 74 people dead, according to a Wednesday report from USA Today.

But even if they aren’t needed for rescue and recovery operations, they should be a sight for sore eyes.

The firefighters spent Wednesday morning and mid-afternoon packing a U-Haul trailer that was donated for them to use while they’re traveling in Kentucky, and it didn’t take long to get it filled.

Hundreds of dollars’ worth of paper products, non-perishable food items, bottled water, diapers and hygiene products filled out the space left in the trailer that wasn’t taken up by a generator and Billy Goat blower that were donated to help.

They’ll also be taking some oxygen tanks, donated by Chesterfield Fire Rescue, to a fire department in the state.

“We have had an absolute outpouring of donations,” Michaels said. “It’s absolutely phenomenal. It proves, like I’ve said before in previous interviews, it’s humanity’s job to take care of humanity, and that’s what we’re doing.

“It’s not our job to save the world, it’s our job to save what we can save — our world.”

While The News Herald watched firefighters load up supplies, several donors rolled up to the department to drop off last minute donations.

Among those was Ron Williams, whose wife, Audrey, read the initial story about the firefighters’ efforts in Tuesday’s edition of the newspaper.

“My wife, she ate that up, and so she went to the Dollar General and wiped them out, basically,” Williams said.

He said watching news coverage of the damage wreaked by the tornadoes made them feel thankful for everything they have.

“We found out we were spoiled, and people don’t have anything,” Williams said. “We saw on the news … they’ve got nothing, and so every little bit helps. It makes you realize you’re blessed.”

Similarly, Mike Watson and his wife, who live in the Hickory area, saw a broadcast on the Tuesday evening news about the department’s efforts to help in Kentucky and felt moved to offer support.

“My wife and I talked about it,” Watson said. “We hadn’t done Christmas presents for each other, and we decided we don’t need anything and these people do. So we’re giving money to them to help them.”

Watson stopped by the fire department with his friend, Jeff Willhelm, also of Hickory, while they were on their way to Atlanta.

“He told me that we were going to stop in Drexel and do this, and I said, ‘well, that’s great,’” Willhelm said. “All my kids are grown and gone, so I’m looking for … something to give to, so I decided to do this.”

Rita Viggers stopped by to drop off money collected by the Women’s Missionary Union at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Valdese.

“It’s the Christian thing to do,” Viggers said. “They’re hurting, and we need to think about other people, and this is a good time to give our monies and donations.”

While not everyone can go to Kentucky, Viggers said it was wonderful to see the local fire department helping out.

“That’s a way we can help,” Viggers said. “We can’t go, but we can send them with this donation.”

Helping others has always been the fire department’s way, Williams said.

“They’ve always done that,” Williams said. “Ever since I can remember, since Triple Community was here, they’ve always helped people, so this is just another way of them helping people.”