The Mint Hill Fire Department has been collecting items to assist in the disaster relief effort for the victims of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas.

The department has been primarily collecting bottled water and cleaning supplies. All the items collected will be shipped down to Miami and then go on a cargo ship or possibly an aircraft to Nassau. The relief supplies will then be distributed to the most needy areas who experienced the worst damage from the storm.

“People are in need of water, cleaning supplies, blankets, beds, medical aid and equipment, temporary housing, food, and so much more,” said Deputy Chief John Phillips who is running point on the relief effort. “We are just trying to do our part, make a difference for some of the victims who have lost everything.”

The devastation of a Category 5 storm of this magnitude is unbelievable and the fury of Mother Nature cannot ever be ignored or not taken seriously. It will take many months, if not years for the Bahamas to fully recover. Also, as of this writing, another tropical storm is heading toward the stricken Bahama islands.

If you are interested and want to just help, please drop by the firehouse with your supplies, mostly bottled water is needed and clean-up supplies such as brooms, mops, soap, gloves, detergents, paper towels, and many more cleaning items would all be very much appreciated.

The firehouse is accepting items through the end of next week. All donations will be picked up and shipped to a central distribution site location in the Miami area. It then will become part of a larger effort to provide assistance and relief to the victims impacted on the islands.

Another point of interest, the Mint Hill Fire Department donated fire suppression apparatus and equipment that needed replacement to the island of Mayaguana, the most outer island and least populated in the Bahamas family of islands. The island had no fire department at the time when a Cessna C402 during a night landing collided with a vehicle during landing and 3 people were killed. There was no fire suppression equipment available, the folks had to allow the fire to burn itself out, they could not rescue the victims.

Then in 2014, the Miami Fire Department, donated a pumper fire truck, while Mint Hill Fire donated firefighting equipment with other fire departments making similar donations to start the newly formed fire service on the island.

Therefore, Mint Hill truly has some established history with the Bahamas, “your donations would be greatly appreciated,” said Deputy Chief Phillips.