MONTGOMERY, Pa. — Firefighters across Lycoming County are trying to make an impact on a community located 900 miles away from Central Pennsylvania.
This weekend members of the Clinton Township Volunteer Fire Company will be driving down supplies to fire companies in Kentucky. This comes a week after tornados ravaged the state.
"They are running around in pickup trucks down there answering calls for help. They don't have the apparatuses; they don't have anything that they need to do down there. Everything may be flatten and devastated, but there is still a need for emergency services," said firefighter Mat Post.
Post had the idea to drive down supplies earlier in the week. Once word got out to other fire companies, equipment donations came pouring in.
"The whole team here at Clinton Township, the guys over at Muncy, and there are guys over at station 18. I mean, almost every fire department in Lycoming County has donated goods to us," said Post.
In addition to equipment, the Clinton Township Volunteer Fire Company will be donating a firetruck to a department in Mayfield, Kentucky. Groundshakers, a local trucking company, offered to tow the fire engine down south for free.
"We were trying to sell this engine to let go of it because we just purchased a new one in 2021 and put it in service, and I said, what do you guys think about just donating this truck," said Chief Todd Winder of the Clinton Township Volunteer Fire Company.
Boots, hoses, jackets, helmets, and other items were loaded into trailers.
Chief Todd Winder told Newswatch 16 that all firefighters belong to one community.
"Pennsylvania fireman helping Kentucky fireman. God forbid if we were ever in that situation, I would hope somebody would try and come help us out," said Chief Winder.
A few firefighters at the Clinton Township Volunteer Fire Company tell Newswatch 16 that they plan on staying in Kentucky for a few days to help firefighters there with rescue or cleanup efforts.
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