New Firefighters FCU Seeks Relief for Tuesday’s Fire Tragedy

CHARLESTON, S.C. – South Carolina Firefighters FCU, chartered less than a year ago, has sprung into action following Tuesday’s tragic deaths of nine firemen here and is helping to raise funds for to help support the families. The fledgling credit union is helping to mobilize firefighters and the credit union community across the country to raise funds for a Friday memorial for the nine firefighters, and to provide financial assistance for their families, according to Bill Kennedy, president of the $2.3 million credit union start-up. “This is our opportunity to step up when we should step up,” Kennedy told The Credit Union Journal. The nine men were killed just before dawn Tuesday when the roof on warehouse where they were fighting a fire collapsed on them. The fundraising is being organized through the National CU Foundation’s new CUAid, created in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to organize relief for victims of disaster. Contributions can be sent at the web address cuaid.coop. The South Carolina Firefighters FCU was organized by the South Carolina Firefighters Association, which has provided the new credit union with an office in its Columbia headquarters and is paying the manager’s salary.