Fire Departments Aid Fellows in West Virginia Hit by Flooding

(TNS) - The volunteer firefighters in Clendenin, W.Va., weren't around to save their equipment as the Elk River poured over its banks, flooding their fire station and their town. They were busy in neighboring communities where flooding already was worse, rescuing people trapped in their homes. The ruined gear at their station included air packs that cost thousands of dollars and about $6,000 in gear that had just been ordered and was still in boxes at the station. Fire trucks left at the station were moved to high ground before the flooding started, but little else was saved. “We lost every bit of gear — jackets, helmets, pants — we lost every bit of it that we had,” said Shana Trippett of the Clendenin Volunteer Fire Department. Clendenin was one of several West Virginia towns devastated by floods last week. Twenty-three people died. The Federal Emergency Management Agency declared disasters in 10 counties. Homes were swept away. Businesses were ruined. In Clendenin, a town of about 1,200, the Diary Queen collapsed. When Bridgeville firefighter Jim Altvater and other firefighters at the small Western Pennsylvania volunteer department about 200 miles north of Clendenin heard about the destruction and the losses, they said they knew they had to help.   To read the full article, click here.