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Insights
Firefighter Ministry sale benefits victims
April/May 2017
By Sherry Kaiser
for Cross Times
SCOTTSBLUFF - Those who
have experienced the devastation of a fire disaster not only
suffer the physical impact but
also an emotional one, as well.
According to Carissa Smith,
every fire is different but ultimately, the response on behalf
of the Firefighter Ministry is the
same.
“Sit with and console the family, talk with the firefighters,
assess the damage, share advice
with the family, let them know
what we can help with and
where to go from here,” says
Smith.
Smith has plenty of experience
with fire. The daughter of Rich
Schank, who was a fire chief at
the Scotts Bluff County volunteer fire department, Smith
joined as a volunteer at the age
of eighteen and served for 12
years.
Smith says that the Firefighter
Ministry began to take shape in
2011 when she and her husband,
Chris, were approached by
some firefighters about helping
victims in the aftermath of a fire
disaster. At the time, there was
nothing really in place to aid
households that had been
impacted.
Since then, the
Smiths, who are very active in
their church and in the community, have put together a
response organization that has
been reaching out to individuals
impacted by a fire not only in
the valley but even beyond.
Smith reports that they were
able to help thirty-three families
in just the last year, alone.
“We respond
everywhere.
We
have
helped as far as
Kearney,
C o z a d ,
To r r i n g t o n ,
Lexington,
Alliance,
as
well as here in
our local area,”
explained
Smith.
Paul and
Linda Safford,
and
their
daughter,
Emma, were
one of the families that were
blessed by the
help
and
encouragement
offered to them
by
the
Firefighter
ministry after a
fire
disaster
disrupted their
lives October
13, 2016.
Linda says
that she and her
husband were
already familiar with the
Firefighter
Ministry since,
ironically, Paul
is a volunteer
firefighter in
Bayard.
“The days following the fire
were the hardest,” she recalls.
“Walking through the house,
going through all our belongings and deciding what could be
kept and cleaned and what
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CrossTimes V Page 9
Rows of donated items were sorted and organized for the
Firefighter Ministry Rummage Sale in the First Baptist Annex (pictured above and bottom left). Proceeds benefit families who have
been affected by a fire disaster, like the Safford family of Bayard
whose home was burned in October 2016, following a fire that
started in the laundry room (pictured at top left). Linda Safford,
whose husband, Paul, is a volunteer firefighter in Bayard, said
they were very appreciative of the Ministry. The Firefighter
Ministry is operated by Carissa Smith and her husband, Chris
Smith. Monetary donations can be made at the Platte Valley Main
Branch in Scottsbluff.
couldn't, losing our cat Tiger in
the fire, dealing with insurance.
Basically deciding how and
where to start with the aftermath
of the fire.”
“Carissa was very supportive
and encouraging,” says Safford.
“She gave us toothbrushes,
toothpaste, shampoo and bath
towels. She even gave Emma a
blanket and stuffed animal. We
felt very blessed by her actions.
We truly appreciate her and the
Firefighter Ministry.”
The Smiths are aided in the
organization by six other volunteers who are trained to respond
to fire events as well as several
others who come alongside of
the ministry in a variety of
ways.
The Firefighter Ministry not
only supports individuals
impacted by a fire disaster, they
also support firefighters out in
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the field, bringing food, water,
clothing, and even motel vouchers when the situation warrents.
A rummage sale in April at
the Smiths’ church, First Baptist
in Scottsbluff, that netted nearly
$3000 will be used to help facilitate funds for the ministry.
Proceeds from the sale help provide clothing, hygiene items,
household items, food and setup
of temporary housing assistance
and emergency funds for those
who have had their lives, families and property damaged by
the effects of a fire disaster.
The organization also maintains a storage unit for many of
the donated items that homeowners can access to replace
items lost in fires.
Financial donations can be
be directly donated to the organization’s fund located at the
Platte Valley Bank main branch
located at 1212 Circle Drive
near the Monument Mall in
Scottsbluff.
Photos supplied by Linda Safford
and Carissa Smith/ CrossTimes