By Andrew Coen
The two Woodmere residents, who graduated from South Shore Yeshiva two years ago, flew to Atlanta on Monday morning for a two day de-briefing and training before learning where they will go for their assignments and what tasks they will be performing. "Wherever they are needed they will head to provide that service," said David DeSetta, the Woodmere Fire Department's First Assistant Chief. "I think it's great that these guys stepped up to the plate to do this."
Kugelman and Nelson applied through FEMA around a week after the hurricane hit and within 24 hours heard back that they were selected to help out in the recovery efforts tasking place in Mississippi, Louisiana and parts of Alabama. "It's definitely an honor to go down and help out with what has to be done," said Nelson. "They need all the help they can get."
Kugelman and Nelson are both observant Orthodox Jews who plan on still observing Shabbash and keeping kosher while they are in the deep south on their rescue mission with despite the area not being nearly as assessable to their faith as the Five Towns. "It's going top be hard but we will be able to do it," said Nelson, who added that they plan to bring pre-packaged Kosher "meals ready to eat" (MRES) on their mission as a backup if they are unable to find other foods to meet their food needs.
The two Five Towners will be in the gulf coast region for around three to five weeks and were unsure about what their exact assignments would be before they left and said they will likely found all the details in their two day stay in Atlanta. Nelson is a firefighter and EMT and Kugelman is a firefighter, EMT and parametric with Woodmere. “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity," said Kugelman.
Woodmere FD provides
drop-off for relief effort
The Woodmere Fire Department on 20 Irving Place is serving as ground zero in the area in terms of a place for local residents to donate any items that can be of use to the victims of Hurricane Katrina in the gulf coast region.
Fire officials are seeking non-perishable food, clothing for all seasons, pillows, bedding supplies, personal hygiene supplies, school supplies and other similar items.
The Woodmere Merchants Association also did their part to help out Katrina victims by submitting a donation to the American Red Cross in the near aftermath of the hurricane.
