Powers Fire & Rescue in Jones County is conducting an emergency relief supplies drive in association with others for residents in tornado ravaged communities in Kentucky.
Mayfield, a town of 10,000 residents, and many surrounding communities, were obliterated by a weekend tornado. At last count, there were 64 fatalities in Mayfield alone.
Non-perishable food, bottled water, sports drinks, cleaning supplies, flashlights and batteries, manual can openers, paper goods, bathroom supplies, baby diapers, baby formula, and everyday household items are desperately needed. No clothing donations are requested at this time.
Diamondback Specialized CMV Training owner Ray Herndon is providing free delivery of donated relief supplies with an 18 wheeler truck and trailer departing from B&C Mobile Homes on Monday, headed to Kentucky.
“We are accepting donations and offering to take any donations secured by individuals, churches, agencies, businesses, and organizations on the trailer with us,” Powers Fire Chief Joey Davis said. “These tornado survivors need our help and residents of Jones County and the Pine Belt have a great history of helping others during disasters.”
“We are also asking for donations of new, unwrapped toys for children,” Powers Assistant Fire Chief Bo Burroughs said. “With so much destruction and loss, we hope to be able to provide toys for children in the disaster zone on Christmas morning.”
Partnering with Powers Fire & Rescue are the Jones County Sheriff’s Department, United Way of the Pine Belt, and B&C Mobile Homes.
Images from Mayfield, Kentucky, where 64 people were killed in a tornado last week.Drop off locations and times include:
Primary staging site:
B&C Mobile Homes
1513 Highway 84 East
Laurel, MS
(Just east of the Laurel city limits on the right past the Tallahala Creek bridges)
Monday-Friday: 7:30am to 5:00pm and Saturday: 8am to Noon
United Way of the Pine Belt
401 West Oak Street
Laurel, MS
Monday-Friday: 8:00am to 5:00pm
Jones County Sheriff’s Department
419 Yates Avenue
Laurel, MS
Monday-Friday: 8:00am to 5:00pm
Pallet loads of donated relief supplies are requested to be delivered to B&C Mobile Homes for offloading into a Diamondback 18 wheeler trailer that is staged at the business.
“Please help if you possibly can,” said Powers Fire & Rescue President Ed Ritchey. “We’ve heard reports of rescue personnel in Mayfield having to crawl over the bodies of deceased victims in the rubble trying to reach survivors. It’s just a horrible disaster.”
