The McKinley Fire is receiving questions regarding donations and how to apply for disaster assistance.

State Disaster Assistance can be applied for by individuals and families with damaged primary residences or essential personal property. Apply in person at a Disaster Assistance Center on September 4-18, 2019 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Locations are yet to be determined but will be near Talkeetna and Willow. Keep checking the website ready.alaska.gov for the locations. This is updated information: Online registration will begin September 4, 2019 at ready.alaska.gov. For more information call 1-800-478-2337.

Donation Information: Mat Su COAD is facilitating all donations of food and any other items with various local locations. They can be reached at 907-745-5827 or 907-745-5824. Please any food items need to be within their expiration date and any clothing items need to be clean.

We appreciate the generous support of the community! Firefighter and public safety are our number one priority and our wildland fire crews are well equipped and cared for. Suggestions for ways you can help:
Show support for firefighters:
Help keep firefighters safe by creating defensible space around your home. Creating defensible space around your home is absolutely the BEST thing you can do to help firefighters. Learn how at http://firewise.org/ .
Respect road and area closures and evacuation orders. Drive carefully in the fire area.
Post thank you banners / signs in the community and on social media. This is a great morale booster for firefighters after a long shift!
Write a thank you note to firefighters. Drop them off at the incident command post so they can be posted or shared.
Write thank you letters to firefighters’ families. Put them in blank, stamped envelopes. After briefings or after shifts, firefighters can address letters to parents, kids, spouses, etc. Provide local postcards that are pre-stamped to fire camp. These will be distributed to firefighters so they can send postcards home to their families.
Items We Cannot Accept at Fire Camp:
Clothing & Camping Items
We have federal standards for personal protective gear for our wildland firefighters.
Food items, including baked goods and sweets
We are required to follow food safety regulations, and we have strict national guidelines for firefighter nutrition. Our fire crews on the line receive fresh food boxes every three days if catered food is not available.
Please confirm needs by contacting the organization of your choice before donating physical items (food, water, etc.).
Making a financial contribution to a recognized organization is the most effective way to ensure needs of the community and emergency personnel are met. Consider a financial contribution to a voluntary organization of your choice, such as:
Your local fire department
Your local search and rescue unit
The Wildland Firefighter Foundation
Your local animal services organization or to the Humane Society
The American Red Cross
Get involved in a land restoration organization near you or a local community forest program –
https://www.fs.fed.us/spf/coop/programs/loa/cfp.shtml

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST!!!!

Categories: AK Fire Info