Anonymous Gift of Masks Surprises NC Firefighters

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HIGH POINT, NC—The crew of High Point Fire Department Station 10 has a simple but heart-felt message for the anonymous donor who left a box of top-grade masks on their truck: You made our morning.

A Good Samaritan left the set of masks in a cardboard box on the fire engine while the crew was shopping for groceries Monday morning at the Harris Teeter off of Skeet Club Road. The firefighters were buying groceries for their 24-hour shift, Deputy Fire Chief Tim Wright said.

When they returned to the fire engine for the short trip back to Station 10, there was a box next to the driver’s side of the truck. The box contained 160 of the high-grade N95 respirator masks packaged in eight boxes, but there was no note about who left the donation.

“They looked around and nobody was in sight,” Wright told The High Point Enterprise.

The High Point Fire Department wants the donor to know the gesture is appreciated. Wright estimates at current market price, the masks would have cost the department at least $500.

The High Point Fire Department has received other donations since the coronavirus pandemic took hold locally in mid-March, the deputy chief said. But none has involved the level of donation of the box left at the truck in the grocery store parking lot.

“We have had some citizens that have brought by some masks, and dentists donate surgical masks. And we’ve had several other community members that have donated some hand sanitizer. The community has really stepped up as best they can,” Wright said.

Firefighters wear N95 masks on virtually every call to which they respond, he said.

“We’d just like to say thank-you to whoever did it,” Wright said. “Whoever did this, it kind of seems like they planned it.”

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©2020 The High Point Enterprise (High Point, N.C.)

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