Storey County firefighters helping those impacted by fires

The Storey County Fire Fighters Association is hosting a donation drive to help those impacted by the California wildfires.

The association is collecting items around Northern Nevada to send to California.

“We wanted to do something more than just fighting fires so we thought what’s the next thing we can do?” said association secretary Jerry McCullough. “We could send money but that’s not what is most needed right now, so we wanted to see what is most needed.”

The association will be collecting items such as gift cards, Ensure, Pediasure, blankets, underwear, socks, sweatshirts, water, animal supplies, towels, non-perishable snacks to hand out at the shelters and diapers for children and adults. They established this list based off of critical needs assessments done by firefighters in the field.

“The devastation, it looks like the things you see in the movies, just entire areas leveled out by the fires,” McCullough said.

The drive will continue on as long as residents have a need, McCullough said, because even if the flames get contained people will need resources until they can start getting back into their homes.

Monday was the first day the firefighters began collecting items and McCullough said they have boxes already overflowing with donations.

“The collection so far is above our expectations,” McCullough said.

There are four locations to drop off items around Northern Nevada: 145 N. C Street, Virginia City; 2610 Cartwright Road, Reno; 1705 Peru Drive, Reno; and 431 Canyon Way, Sparks.