Delaware County firefighters donate truck to N.Y. station hard hit by Sandy

A New York fire company wiped out by Sandy now has a replacement truck, thanks to a fellow fire company in Pennsylvania.

The Collingdale Volunteer Fire Company No. 2 donated the once-retired 1987 Hahn Engine and truckloads of goods to the damaged station in Queens Sunday

During the storm, the Broad Channel Volunteer Fire Department lost one truck to fire while on duty, another truck to flood water along with two ambulances and most of their equipment.

Collingdale Deputy Chief Patrick Kilroy says the National Firefighters Endowment asked his company to consider donating the fire engine two weeks ago.

It took just seconds for Collingdale firefighters to agree.

Within two days, they collected donations from neighboring fire companies and organizations and drove up the pumper with two truckloads of goods to New York.

“It’s difficult to maintain [a volunteer fire company] just with normal, everyday funding,” said Kilroy. “And to go up there and see what has happened to them, it was a humbling experience for us to realize that we’re doing pretty good down here. It was really nice to be there in their time of need.”

Delaware County firefighters are also holding a benefit bonfire for New Jersey stations that were affected by Sandy.

That will be at Lenni Heights Fire Department in Middletown Township from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday.

They’re asking visitors to bring donations such as socks, gloves and batteries.

More information on the New Jersey firefighter benefit bonfire can be found here.