Hastings residents set up donation marquee to help Rural Fire Service volunteers in Port Macquarie

Hastings residents are joining the supply lines to keep NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) firefighters in the battle against a number of bushfires across the Mid Coast.

Residents delivered vital goods for exhausted firefighters at the Gateway Service Centre near Port Macquarie on November 11.

Snacks and eskies full of cold drinks were handed out to waiting crews at the marquee behind Oliver's Real Food.

"We started out with a post on our personal Facebook pages just asking around about how we can help out. We began accepting donations to our houses and dropping them at the command centre in Wauchope," said resident Carissa Dwyer.

"When it escalated last week Cherie at the Sunset Gallery (in Port Macquarie) offered her place of business as a donation centre where people could drop their goods.

"Our focus initially was on the firefighters but we started getting donations of non-perishable food as well which we filter out to evacuation centres. We have also been doing drops out to the RFS in Pappinbarra, Beechwood and Telegraph Point.

"It's been a bit of local collaboration and has been quite amazing. Now we're in contact with the RFS logistics coordinator so that we know what they need and we can ferry it out to them.

"At the moment they are looking for food with more sustenance such as ring-pull canned fruit, rice pudding and canned tuna because they are going to be out there for a long time."

Residents have also been providing firefighters with bulk bundles of water bottles, pots of lip gloss and saline solution for their eyes.

Jan Potts, who helped organise and staff the marquee, said the community has been amazing in supporting the firefighters.

"I woke up on Saturday morning and wondered what I could do to help, I spoke to Dean (from AJ Grant Group) about it and he got us connected here with Carissa," she said.

"Since we have been out here firefighters have just been coming all morning. The biggest thing that they wanted to say was to let the community know how thankful they are for the love and support.

"It's been a day by day process unfolding with the community dropping things off and then loading up firefighters.

"They have been so grateful and they were in tears, they said it's the best local support they have ever seen."

Anyone wanting to donate goods are asked to take them to the Sunset Gallery drop off point at 25 Central Road, Port Macquarie during business hours. The donated items will be distributed to crews and fire-affected residents in need.

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