It's 4:30 p.m. CST and a news reporter just read a list of supplies needed for the rescue workers, Peter Jennings was trying to discourage or disway her from reading her list, because he claimed it may cause more problems with haveing supplies being brought in by other than goverment, or state , well she persisted and read her list. Mr. Jennings insinuated well FEMA supposed to take care of that. Here is a list of supplies they need work boots work gloves bandaids neosporin mask ponchos respirators While I don't think it would be a good idea for individuals to go there with a few of these items, what about Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, etc. just taking a truckload of these items there? I emailed Wal-mart but couldn't find an email for K-mart, but they do have stores in the area. These people are digging with their bare hands when their gloves fall apart and then cut their hands, the boots are not holding up either. For some reason they're not getting the supplies they need, they begged this reporter all day to read it over the air. Any suggestions?

-- Carol in Tx (cwaldrop@peoplescom.net), September 13, 2001

Answers

They also need: hardhats, oxygen, goggles!

-- Carol in Tx (cwaldrop@peoplescom.net), September 13, 2001.

Someone who lives within an hour or two could coordinate drop-off points and arrange for trucks to pick the stuff up and deliver it. I know this sounds greedy, but this could be good PR for some company willing to head it up. Or, someone who owns their own truck(s) could get a whole community together to bring in contributions and deliver them. Peter J. and others like him think the government should take care of everybody, but he's wrong. PEOPLE need to pull together on this. My dad remembers picking milkweed for insulating coats, collecting tin and steel, and other things for the war effort during WW2. KIDS did this, and the stuff got where it needed to go. You guys in NY, NJ, and PA, go for it. Wish I could help; we're less than 20 miles from the NY border, but with border security heightened, we won't be going across any time soon.

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), September 13, 2001.

I can tell you something else they are going to need within the next few days. They will need vicks vapo-rub or mentholatum. It's a horrible thing to even contemplate, but they are going to need it to block the smell very soon. I was injured very slightly in the 1995 OKC bombing. Sitting at home a few days later, I remember a call going out to supply this for the rescue workers. I also remember that any time the rescuers asked for something in OKC, they were flooded with more than they could use. They never lacked for anything in OKC. I'm sure the workers in NY will have the same experience. Americans are very generous and quick to act in these horrible, heartbreaking situations.

-- Cheryl in KS (cherylmccoy@rocketmail.com), September 13, 2001.

I just heard (on ABC, BTW) that the FEMA workers are well supplied. It is the State (NY and NJ) workers who need supplies. FEMA was alerted to the problem by ABC (they said) and were unaware of it. FEMA was going to try to help supply the others, but being a big bureaucracy indicated that additional donations would be welcomed.

It was suggested that any donations be delivered to the Chelsea piers and would be passed on from there. I guess that's a general staging area for the whole rescue effort. I know nothing about NY, so am only reporting what I heard.

-- Joy F [in So. Wisconsin] (CatFlunky@excite.com), September 13, 2001.

Living in NJ, we are close to what is going on. Constant fundraisers are happening. Local stores and schools are making sandwiches and cookies. You hear so many stories of individuals giving what they can. There is so much help being offered but because of limited space caused by the debris, many are turned away.

They are asking for some supplies. Gloves, t-shirts, hard hats and bottled water.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), September 13, 2001.

What heard is that the city of NY needs BULK supplies, but is trying to dissuade INDIVIDUAL donations of supplies, probably because it would take too many people who could be useful elsewhere just to sort and direct the movement of lots of little bits and pieces, whereas a truckload of stuff just has to be directed to a staging area.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), September 14, 2001.

I got an email from Jeffers Supply (vet and pet supplies) They are supportting donations of supplies for the canine dogs working in the disaster area. http://www.jeffers.com

-- Rickstir (rpowell@email.ccis.edu), September 14, 2001.

Check with the Red Cross- there was a list on, well, ABC news with Peter Jennings, I believe yesterday, the 14th. (Not that I care about Jennings one way or the other, but he was receptive to the Red Cross) Red Cross was asking for bottled water, drinks prepacked food- such as "Energy Bars" work boots, work gloves, mens underwear and eye drops. (Those are things I remember) They are way more organized and able to get supplies in than someone like Wal-Mart-though we certainly don't want to dissaude stores like Wal-mart, et al from helping out. My sister and I have done vol. work for R.C. for years and they are fantastic-you can find local offices in your phone book and it is certainly easy to find them on the web.

-- Kelly (markelly@scrtc.com), September 15, 2001.