Helping firefighters and others impacted by wildfires
MONTEREY, Calif. (KION)
Firefighters across the Central Coast have organized their own relief efforts for other fire fighters and community members who were impacted by recent wildfires.
The Monterey Firefighters Association is just one of the groups on the Central Coast collecting donations to provide hotels, food and other necessities to displaced firefighters and community members.
They have created their own GofundMe and have raised over $5,000 in just a few days.
David Serna is of one of the many firefighters who lost his home while he was out battling the River fire.
"“I finally told my chief, 'look I’ve got to go home and he said go home and take care of your family.' By the time I got there, the fire was already pushing through and I never got to the house," says Serna.
After hearing his story, a member of the Monterey Firefighters Association-and friend of Serna-was able to get him a $1,000 donation.
Right now, the Monterey Firefighters Association are extending their efforts and donations to other organizations and community members who were also impacted by the fires.
“Making sure that they have hotels or blankets or gift cards, whatever they needed but even those firefighters have turned around and said we don’t need this, we’re good, we want you to focus on the community," says Raul Pantoja, one of the effort organizers at Monterey Station 13.
Pantoja says watching the struggles of firefighters first hand that inspired them to make this effort.
Serna says his next step is settling into a new home that was given to him by the U.S. Army and going back to work as soon as this weekend.
The Monterey Firefighters Association is currently asking the public for help with monetary donations and gift cards.
They say anyone wanting to donate gift cards con drop them off at any Monterey fire station.
You can make a donation to the Monterey Firefighters Association at:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/mffa-wildfire-relief-fund
To find out more about efforts in Salinas, visit https://www.facebook.com/salinasfirefighters
