Firefighters list the best ways to offer thanks, show support

A note posted Friday on the InciWeb pages of several major Oregon wildfires listed the best ways to help thank and support firefighters — and what to avoid:

How You Can Help

We greatly appreciate the support and generosity of the community! Our team’s focus is on the mission of fire suppression while keeping firefighter and public safety our number one priority. Our wildland fire crews are well equipped and cared for. After many donation inquiries, here’s a list of suggestions.

Here are some ways you can show support for firefighters.

— Help keep firefighters safe by creating defensible space around your home. Creating defensible space around your home is absolutely the BEST thing you can do to help firefighters. Learn how at http://firewise.org.

— Post thank you banners / signs in the community and on social media. This is a great morale booster for firefighters after a long shift!

— Write thank you notes to firefighters. Drop them off at the incident command post so they can be posted or shared.

— Write thank you letters to firefighters families. Put them in blank, stamped envelopes. After briefings or after shifts, firefighters can address letters to parents, kids, spouses, etc.

Items We Cannot Accept at Fire Camp:

● Clothing ○ We have federal standards for personal protective gear for our wildland firefighters.

● Food Items including baked goods and sweets ○ We are required to follow food safety regulations, and we have strict national guidelines for firefighter nutrition. Rest assured, we feed our fire crews three meals a day, including snacks.

Please confirm needs by contacting the organization of your choice before donating physical items (food, water, etc.). Financial contributions to a recognized organization are the most effective way of helping them obtain goods and services locally and provide direct financial assistance to those in need.

Consider a financial contribution to a voluntary organization of your choice, such as:

–Your Local Fire Department

–Your Local Search and Rescue Unit

–The Wildland Firefighter Foundation

–The Oregon Volunteer Firefighters Association

–Your local Animal Services organization or to the Humane Society

–The American Red Cross

Get involved in a land restoration organization near you or a Local Community Forest Program – https://www.fs.fed.us/spf/coop/programs/loa/cfp.shtml

Thank you for your kind consideration!