LANESBOROUGH -- County firefighters who ran supplies this weekend to a Hurricane Sandy-ravaged beachfront community in New York reported Monday that their offerings saw immediate use amid "overwhelming" destruction.
A dozen county firefighters, joined by family and other loved ones, led the effort, carting four truckloads of donations from the Berkshires on Saturday to New York City's Breezy Point neighborhood when only one had been expected.
The cargo contained everything from water and food to chainsaws and generators, all collected last week after Lanesborough Firefighter Glen Storie and his wife, Beth, put out a Facebook call to action, asking people to gather materials for the charred and formerly flooded Staten Island neighborhood of less than 5,000.
Donations came from residents and local fire departments, including those of Savoy and Adams.
"We gave whatever there was to spare," Savoy Fire Chief Lawrence Ordyna said. "Helmets, boots, bunker pants and more, and Adams donated as well. [They ended with] several trailers full because the outcome was so good."
The success of the Stories' Facebook campaign brought in additional donations from as far out as Franklin and Hampshire counties.
"The local effort was amazing," Glen Storie said on Monday. "... People just jumped on board and came with all kinds of stuff."
The delivering group -- which included the Stories, Pete and Brandon Durso, Max
"They were glad to see us," Storie said. "Our supplies were getting unloaded as soon as we'd parked the vehicle ... It's tough times for these people."
Hurricane Sandy wrought millions in damages to Breezy Point, part of New York's Queens borough. Residents were evacuated before the hurricane's descent. It saw up to 100 houses burned in its wake as floodwaters submerged businesses, homes and churches, the Associated Press reported.
Storie said representatives of Red Cross and Federal Emergency Management Agency are still focused in on the community. He noted that efforts to clean up seawater, oil and sewage will be ongoing, as others attempt to right houses that were knocked off their frames.
Lanesborough Fire Chief Charles Durfee estimated the local donation at 12,000 pounds of supplies.
"I can't say enough about what my guys did, and people who donated really stepped up to the plate," Durfee said Monday. "It was all we could do to shut the back door of the [24-foot racecar hauler] we rented."
Durfee pointed out other donations of shovels, picks, hammers, gloves and four 55-gallon fuel drums.
Storie said participants are considering another trip in the coming weeks to again volunteer manpower to the cleanup effort.
"All [we've done] is target one small area of Staten Island," Storie said. "If [more] fire departments and volunteers continue to do the same, we'll slowly start to see a return to normal out there."
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