Rescuers respond to FEMA

September 4, 2005 1:06 am

Kevin Dillard gave employees of his Stafford County-based ambulance service about five hours to get ready to leave for hurricane-battered Louisiana for 30 days.

Dillard, president of LifeCare Medical Transports in Hartwood, would have preferred to have given them at least 48 hours, but he just received orders from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"We were told Friday that nobody would be deployed from our area this weekend. Maybe next week," Dillard said yesterday. "But they called and said the conditions have deteriorated rapidly and to come as quickly as possible."

A 10-member crew began last night driving five ambulances to Baton Rouge, La., where they will be sent out to the hurricane-stricken areas as part of relief efforts.

--Jessica Allen

Helping hurricane victims

Here are some special efforts to provide relief for those displaced by Hurricane Katrina:

The Colonial Beach Volunteer Fire Department will hold a chicken and rib dinner at 1 p.m. today.

Performance Auto Crafters and Obie's Oldies Antique Vehicles, 7086 Hot Rod Lane in Locust Grove, will take donations at an open house and car show Sept. 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 540/854-6200.

Children of America has established a relief fund for the children of the disaster. The child-care provider will match donations to the American Red Cross up to a total of $100,000.

Rita's Ices, 11105 Leavells Road in Spotsylvania, will donate 5 percent of its sales in September to the Red Cross. Owners Diana and Ed Black are also donating $1,000.

Donations of toiletries, nonperishable food items and clothes will be accepted beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, at King Street Blues, U.S. 1 and State Route 610 in North Stafford. 540/659-7578.

Radio station WBQB and The Salvation Army will be at the Ferry Farm and Massaponax Wal-Marts tomorrow. On the Web: salvation usa.org

Culpeper County is collecting donations of nonperishable food items, diapers, toilet paper and other items at the Culpeper Public Library in the Southgate Shopping Center. Local tractor-trailer operators will haul the supplies free to Dulles Airport, where they will be shipped free by American Airlines on Tuesday. The county also is donating $25,000 to the Red Cross.

The Air Force Aid Society has established a nationwide fund to help Air Force families affected; phone 703/607-3073 or 800/769-8951 or go to afas.org.

The Colonial Tavern, 406 Lafayette Blvd., will hold a charity comedy event from 9 to 11 p.m. tonight. $5 or donations will be collected at the door. 540/373-1313.

Local relief organizations:

American Red Cross, Rappahannock Area Chapter: 11047 Pierson Dr., Suite N, Fredericksburg, Va. 22408; redcross.org; 800/HELPNOW. Specify if donation is for Hurricane Katrina or National Disaster Fund.

Salvation Army: Box 179, Fredericksburg, Va. 22404; 540/373-3431.

Rappahannock United Way: rappahannockunitedway.org; 540/371-5268.