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ADVANCE – The morning of Friday, Sept. 27, 2024 saw Hurricane Helene roar into western North Carolina. It left behind massive destruction and death.
Emergency agencies in those areas were overwhelmed and in some cases – devastated. Immediately request came for help.
Advance Fire Department deployed a crew and fire truck to assist Ledger Fire Department in Mitchell County and another crew with a drone to Asheville.
This same week was to be the annual fall barbecue fundraiser, so the board of directors decided to cancel the barbecue due to the loss of help to the disaster.
They also realized that many of their fellow firefighters in Western North Carolina had suffered tremendous personal loss. It was decided that in place of the barbecue, they would ask for donations for Western North Carolina Firefighters. It began on Friday, the day of the planned barbecue with a drive-thru donation line. Information was also posted on social media with an on-line giving option.
Once donations began coming in a determination had to be made how to distribute the money. Advance is a member of the Western North Carolina Association of Firefighters. The association put a plan in place where firefighters needing help could fill out an application for assistance. A panel of association officers ranked the applications based on need.
The Advance Fire Department Board of Directors decided this was the best way for the donations to be disbursed.
On Jan. 15 , at the associations’ quarterly meeting, a check for $14,240.62 was presented by Advance Chief Rodney Miller and PIO/Treasurer Ronnie Robertson.
They learned that 74 firefighters had been approved for assistance.; 10 had experienced a loss of everything. A total of $175,200 had been disbursed with the amount to recipients ranging from $500 to $8,700
There are additional firefighters still needing assistance. Advance Fire Department will continue to receive donations. Mail to AFD, 1869 NC 801 S., Advance, write WNC Helene Relief on the memo or scan the QR code on the department’s Facebook page.