“When you see a problem you want to try and fix it.”
TFP is helping where we’re needed the most.
Some Omaha firefighters went above the call of duty on Thursday. They helped a family who lost everything.
After weeks of sleeping on the floor the family of seven now has beds to sleep in and the firefighters say it’s things like this that make the job rewarding.
It was Drew Gerken’s day off from work on Thursday, but the Omaha firefighter still did some heavy lifting and took the time to serve others.
Gerken said, “When you see a problem you want to try and fix it.”
The problem: helping a family who lost almost everything in a fire. Mattresses, bed frames and several other items were damaged. The family had to move into a new home right after Christmas. Money was tight and buying beds and furniture was not exactly in the budget. Gerken said, "You're sad and disappointed that somebody had to go through such a challenging situation."
However, Gerken says it gave him and other firefighters the chance to help the family start over, something he's done for 50 other families over the years. Gerken said, "I do collect items and store them, and distribute them to people who need them."
It's something Unique says she's grateful for. She's one of the people affected by the fire. "They didn't have to take the time out of their day to do it, you know, anything for anybody, but they did."
She's happy to call the new house a home now for her and her two kids, her siblings, and her mom. Gerken said, "It's really rewarding and I really like the opportunity to come in and just show people that we care."
Gerken says he'll be keeping in touch with the family to find out what other needs it still has.
