DALLAS, W.Va. (WTRF) — It’s left the news cycle, but it hasn’t left daily life in Eastern Kentucky.
Flooding from two weeks ago still leaves families displaced and wreckage piled up on the streets.
So where do you turn when even emergency services find themselves unable to make calls?
You turn to the generosity of other first responders.
We found out this particular fire department lost all three of their trucks.
Jerry Murrin, Treasurer, Dallas VFD
This is the fire truck that will be making the trek through the entirety of West Virginia and be donated to the small town of Carr Fork.
Just one day after the fierce tornado that damaged several homes, Dallas VFD mentioned to Marshall County Emergency Services that they had a truck for their southern neighbors.
The truck was put into use in 1992, but decommissioned by Dallas last fall.
Even as they themselves regroup, they still found plenty of their own possessions to offer up.
The truck will also contain equipment they no longer need like extra hoses, and even donations others gave them last week.
With all the donations that came in for the tornado, we’ve still got several cases of bottled water here. And we’ve loaded the truck up with bottled water, we’re taking some of it down there too.
Jerry Murrin, Treasurer, Dallas VFD
The VFD says the fire engine will go from being dead weight in their garage to a lifeline in a time of crisis.
We don’t have to pay insurance on this one, it’s just sitting here, it’s going to save us some money really…it’s going to help them out and help us out too.
Jerry Murrin, Treasurer, Dallas VFD
Two sets of first responders, bonded by natural disaster…and proving that sometimes, hope drives into town in the form of a 30-year-old truck.