Several months ago I wrote an article detailing the story of a volunteer fire department still reeling from the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina. The story was two years in the making then, but one that had never been told. And, they're still hurting.

The extent of the devastation is almost unbelievable. I admit that even I was skeptical at first, until I saw it for myself.

The West Hancock Fire-Rescue Department in Pearlington, Mississippi lost everything: apparatus, equipment, and their fire station.

Wiped out. Completely. Nothing left.

Their volunteer members suffered huge losses too: their homes, their belongings and their livelihoods. Thus the fire department lost more than two-thirds of its volunteer force.

Published in a few national fire service magazines, this story has now been read by thousands of first responders across our country.

Many of them took that story to heart. I'm proud to say that the first to act were firefighters from our own Collins, New York.

They responded in a big way. They immediately set up a non-profit relief team called "Hancock Hope" to coordinate the response of other volunteers supporting the effort. The visiting volunteers respond to emergency calls for the local fire department, supplementing their staffing and, on occasion, giving them a well deserved rest.

The Hancock Hope Response Team traveled to assist West Hancock Fire six different times in 2007. More than 90 firefighters from seven different states have come to their aid.

As the community and the fire department struggles to rebuild, they're still in need of outside support from mutual aid as far away as Seattle, Washington - or Collins, New York. Rebuilding efforts bring more people - and more emergency calls.

The local team's seventh trip is scheduled for the week of January 12, 2008. Whether by plane, mini-van, or pickup truck, the local volunteers have logged almost 10,000 miles.

This is where you come in.
In the past year they've invested more than $6,000 just in travel expenses, half of which came out of the volunteers' own pockets to fund the effort.

This next trip is going to be costly too, given today's fuel prices. The team is in need of donations to cover fuel and travel expenses. They need your help.

And they already know this won't be their last trip.

The local fire department anticipates needing outside help for another 6 months to a year. Hurricane Katrina will be a three-year old nightmare by the time the good folks in Pearlington, Mississippi are back on their feet.

I'm proud to be associated with these men and women. Please consider helping Hancock Hope. The motto of the relief team is "brotherhood proven."

Let's prove what our community is made of by bringing help to hope.

To donate or volunteer assistance, please contact:

Dan Macakanja Hancock Hope
danmac@iwon.com
www.westhancockfirerescue.org
Cell: 716-341-2870

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Follow this link to the original Hancock Hope story.

Visit the Hancock Hope profile here at FirefighterNation.