Man Collecting Donations for Baltimore Emergency Crews
April 28—As scenes of burning businesses, smashed windows and police in riot gear fill television and computer screens, some York and Adams county residents are watching closely, knowing these scenes are unfolding just a little more than an hour's drive to the south.
Rioters and protesters took to the streets of Baltimore on April 27 a few hours after the funeral for Freddie Gray, the black man who died of a spinal injury after being taken into police custody earlier this month.
The Baltimore mayor's office reported 144 vehicle fires, 15 structures fires and nearly 200 arrests in the unrest that broke out in the city as of this morning, according to the Associated Press.
Collecting donations
A Hanover business owner is collecting food and water for Baltimore police and fire crews.
Doug Arnold, owner of Crown Trophy, is working with a Facebook group called Donations 4 BCPD/BCFD to encourage residents to donate packaged food and water for emergency workers.
He found out about the group, which is based in Havre de Grace, Maryland, from family members who live in that area. Arnold decided to get involved when he realized the group did not have collection spots in the Hanover area.
"I really feel bad about all the police and fire (departments) have done there to keep peace," Arnold said.
Utz Quality Foods donated a tractor trailer in which Arnold can collect donations, he said. He hopes to make his first delivery to Baltimore Friday.
Representatives from Utz did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Crown Trophy will accept donations from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday at the 905 Carlisle St. store.
Packaged ready-to-eat snacks and drinks are welcomed. The store cannot accept homemade goods.
Anyone interested in donating money instead of food can visit www.gofundme.com/donations4bcpdbcfd. Contributions will be used to purchase snacks and drinks.
On standby
The American Red Cross's Central Pennsylvania region is prepared to help in Baltimore if asked, said spokeswoman Alix Shrader.
As of Tuesday afternoon, no local Red Cross volunteers were asked to travel to the city, Shrader said. She noted she could not recall any time in the past six years that her division of the Red Cross was called to Maryland.
The group, however, is ready to help if called.
"If they were to need us, we could be ready to help at a moment's notice," she said.
Pennsylvania State Police were similarly on standby as of Tuesday afternoon, according to state police spokesman Robert Hicks.
'I expect to be stopped by police'
Thomas Kirchner expects to be in the thick of the area of previous rioting as he finishes his shift at Baltimore's Penn Station on Tuesday night.
The Littlestown resident is a locomotive engineer with Amtrak and works just a few blocks from where rioters set a CVS ablaze on Monday. He planned to start his shift as usual Tuesday afternoon, but he was not without concern.
"I actually have to drive right out to the middle of this mess to park," he said.
He feels somewhat safe knowing the Amrak station is heavily monitored by police and security guards. But he's packing an extra set of clothes just in case he has to hunker down after his shift ends at 10 p.m.
A city-wide curfew will also take effect at 10 p.m. Kirchner hopes police stop him and ask to see his work identification when he walks to his car.
"I expect to be stopped by the police," he said. "I kind of hope they're out in force."
Locals lend a hand
Nick Shaffer, a captain with the New Oxford area's United Hook and Ladder fire company, is one of several local firefighters and emergency personnel working in Baltimore today, said Steve Rabine, chief of United Hook and Ladder.
Shaffer was not immediately available to comment because he was working a 10-hour shift in Baltimore on Tuesday, Rabine said.
"Please keep (Baltimore City Fire Department) and (Baltimore City Police Department) in your prayers tonight and the coming days," United Hook and Ladder said on its Facebook page Monday night. "UHL#33 Captain Nick Shaffer is working as a firefighter in Baltimore City tonight as well as many other locals. #everyonegoeshome."
Concern, confusion in Adams County
Kelly Hollenbaugh, of Littlestown, whose husband and sister both commute to the city for work, was concerned.
"I think it's pretty scary and it's just giving them an excuse to act the way they are," Hollenbaugh said of the strained relationship between protesters and police.
Many said they were baffled at rioters causing harm to an area they called home.
"It's a shame, it really is," said Joel Plank, of Gettysburg. "I just can't believe people would do that to their own city."
Paul Grier, of McSherrystown, said the cancellation of the Orioles game Tuesday night was only going to add fuel to the protesters' fire. He said he understood that people were mad, given the many publicized clashes between police officers and black males. His own African American heritage, however, did not mean he was going to say the riots were justified.
"I don't think I would be in any type of danger down there necessarily," Grier said. "But I'm the type of guy that when I see something like that going on, I'm going to try to stop it. I wouldn't want to be down there in it."
Copyright 2015 - The Evening Sun, Hanover, Pa.
