Cochrane business and residents are stepping up to help the city Fort McMurray, after a wildfire sparked an evacuation of the community.
As of 6:20 p.m. on May 3, the city issued a mandatory evacuation for all of its 83,000 residents. Support for evacuees has been flooding social media and Cochrane businesses and people are ready to extend a helping hand.
Northstar Ford in Cochrane is on business accepting donations that will be delivered to evacuees as soon as possible.
“First and foremost we will accept cash or cheque, of course those will go the farthest distance. But we are also accepting donations of any kind, absolutely everything,” said Amanda Fewer, service manager with the dealership in town.
Priority items include food, pet food, baby supplies, bottled water, clothing and blankets. Monetary donations will go directly to those who need it.
Cheques can be addressed to Northstar Ford and a receipt will be given.
Marty Giles, owner of Northstar Ford in Cochrane, Calgary, Fort McMurray, and Fort McKay, plans hand deliver the donations to the people in the most need.
“We are open until eight o’clock at night if anybody can’t get down here to drop off donations I do have people going out to pick up, so just give us a call,” Fewer said.
Anna Garcia, a Cochrane resident and the general manager of Rocky Mountain Animal Rescue, will be heading to Fort McMurray on May 6 to help with the animal search and rescue efforts.
Garcia spent her day on May 4 and May 5 driving around Cochrane and area picking up donations to take with her for those in need.
“I’ll be meeting with one of the team co-ordinators for Search and Rescue in Morinville to organize when we can go in and then we’ll take up live traps and get all the animals that have run away scared and help wherever we can,” Garcia said.
Once the animals have been collected, Garcia’s job won’t be done there.
“We’ll hopefully be co-ordinating shelters for the animals to come back to, whether it’s in foster care or at our actual sanctuary … Animal safety is my main concern,” Garcia explained.
Currently she is unsure if she will be permitted to enter the area, but she is willing to help anyway she can.
“I’ll be going up with the intentions of staying until I’m not needed – it depends on if they can let me into the perimeter. If I’m not allowed in at this time, I’ll just be bringing donations back and forth all weekend,” Garcia said.
Cochrane RCMP will also be joining the relief effort as they have sent three members from the detachment to assist with the fire.
"We will send a couple members every three to five days, rotating shifts depending on how long the state of emergency lasts," said Sgt. Jeff Campbell.
