BEVERLY — Beverly firefighters are heading to North Carolina on Saturday to deliver donations to help victims of Hurricane Helene.
Fire Chief Pete O’Connor said the department put out a request for donations on Wednesday and got a “huge response.”
“It’s been phenomenal,” he said.
People have been dropping off items at Beverly Fire Department headquarters at 15 Hale St. over the last few days. Firefighters loaded the items onto two rental trucks and will drive them to a designated donation drop-off site at the North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina.
Donated items include clothes, fans, charcoal grills, first aid supplies, flashlights, blankets and hygiene products, among other items. Donations are being accepted until 8 p.m. Friday.
O’Connor said the relief effort was the idea of Lt. Mike Kraus. The Peabody and Danvers fire departments also became involved and collected donations.
“It was definitely a team effort,” O’Connor said.