(MOBILE,Ala) - Mobile City Leaders announced Wednesday the city will begin collecting supplies for victims of Hurricane Sandy.
City of Mobile Mayor Sam Jones said he contacted New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to find out exactly what the city needs after the storm made landfall along the east coast.
"We've offered technical assistance to the mayor," Jones said. "We're waiting on him to respond on just what he needs, but we want to be as helpful as we can during this time."
Jones said in the meantime they hope Mobilians will answer the call to help families in New York struggling to rebuild after the Superstorm by donating supplies. Donations will be collected at Mobile Shoe Station locations, and at any Mobile Fire Station.
"We'll be happy to match that dollar amount, and hopefully spur as many donations as we can," Shoe Station Vice President Brent Barkin said.
This marks the first year members of the Fire Department of New York will not make their annual December trip to the Gulf Coast to deliver toys to children affected by Hurricane Katrina. The FDNY started the toy drive after receiving assistance from Gulf Coast municipalities in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
Mobile officials said the trip was canceled due to Hurricane Sandy.
"Staten Island was devastated," Mobile Fire-Rescue Chief Stephen Dean said. "Along with floods, as well as they had a big fire out there, and mostly firefighters and law enforcement officers live there on Staten Island."
"We know what it's like to have a Hurricane," Mobile City Councilwoman Bess Rich said, "and we've been in the fix they've been in so it's our turn to help them out."
A list of supplies can be found under the "Find It" section of our homepage at local15tv.com.
