Triangle Residents Contribute Heavily To Relief Effort

Firefighters from Western Wake Fire Rescue spent Saturday filling their boots with donations from drivers. But all across the county, people have been spending their time and energy, as well as their money, to help with relief efforts.

One by one, drivers stopped their cars along Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh to help heroes hundreds of miles away.

"It's good, but we should come together all the time, not just when a tragedy happens," driver Tina Ongoro said.

"Everybody's hurting and we're just coming together as a family and giving and doing all we can for families," John Hamnling of Western Wake Fire Rescue said.

But the giving does not stop there. At Garner EMS and Rescue, workers lend a helping hand with commemorative ribbons. In just four days, they raised more than $30,000 for relief efforts.

"Doing the ribbons help children and the older people and the young people be a part of something," volunteer Lauren Ferguson-Melay said.

Across the street, John Barlie is collecting face masks, ponchos and other gear needed for rescue volunteers sifting their way through the mountain of concrete that was once the World Trade Center. But he would rather be in New York City, helping in person.

"I'm a firefighter and a paramedic and I'd love to be up there helping them out as best I could be. Since I can't, I can help them get the gear they need," Barlie said.

The Raleigh Fire Department is also helping families of their fallen comrades in New York City.

A fundraiser will be held Monday, at Crabtree Valley Mall and North Hills Mall in Raleigh.

The department will have fire engines and firefighters on hand to take donations for the New York Firefighters 911 Disaster Relief Fund.