Mt. Laurel has made an enormous contribution to relief efforts focused around areas along the shoreline affected by Hurricane Sandy.
According to Fire Chief John Colucci, it took 12 hours for the department to mobilize once two of their own thought of the idea to help over coffee.
Fire Captain Chris Santone and Firefighter James Moyer spearheaded the original plan to stuff a 45-foot tractor-trailer with supplies for victims in a 24-hour period beginning at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 8.
“We enjoy the shore so much here in the summertime,” said Moyer.
Now, they need help, he said.
And help, the Mt. Laurel community surely did.
By Friday morning, Santone said, three tractor trailers, five box trucks and three Mt. Laurel utility vehicles were filled to the brim and the deliveries were made.
“This is what we do for a living, not just when we’re at work,” Moyer said. “Anything we can do to get them back on their feet.”
Already, the department has shown solidarity with victims at Breezy Point in New York, Moyer said, an area known for housing many firefighters that responded on Sept. 11, 2001 that was severely struck by Sandy and fire.
Four volunteer firefighters went down to Toms River the day after Sandy and spent 19 hours on a boat rescuing residents, said Santone.
“They worked nonstop,” he said.
Another crew had plans to go down to work on demolitions and construction, he said.
The department also rallied when Hurricane Katrina struck the coast in 2005, filling truckloads over a month-long period.
The idea with Sandy support was to “just do it all at once,” said Santone.
Shore shelters have been filling to capacity, he said, while more inland shelters are looking to fill their warehouses.
Once the shore shelters empty, the supplies will be transferred, he said.
People in Mt. Laurel have plenty of connections to the shore, but “that wouldn’t even really matter,” said Moyer, as the department would help no matter what.
The first truck, he said, could hold 40,000 to 50,000 pounds of goods.
Staff from Our Lady of Good Counsel in Moorestown dropped off bags of food donations in crispy conditions on Thursday morning.
The church always has food drives, said staff member Dan Wilson, and they heard about the Mt. Laurel drive and brought what they had available, from cereals to soups to mac and cheese and rice.
“The township has ben very supportive in regards to vehicles, supplies, things like that,” said Colucci.
Dozens of volunteers took shifts during the 24-hour period, including a mix of township employees, firemen and members of the community.
“Mt. Laurel is a very giving community,” he said. “It’s a good township to be a part of.”
Some items were dropped off at the Salvation Army, while others went to Toms River and Manahawkin.
For the day, Dunkin Donuts dropped off donuts and coffee, Chick Fil A donated lunch and dinner and Smith and Solomon donated the truck.
“It’s a true volunteer effort all the way around,” said Colucci.
