Maine Raises $1,300 in 24 Hours for Firefighters

When a massive explosion ripped through the Robbins Lumber Mill in Searsmont, Maine last Friday, volunteer groups rushed to the scene with a simple mission: keep the firefighters fighting.

Canteen 19, a volunteer emergency support group based in Unity, mobilized immediately to provide food, water, and supplies to first responders working through intense flames and heavy smoke. "Dehydration, heat exhaustion, cardiac arrest—these are all some pretty critical things that affect our first responders," explained volunteer Sarah Joliet.

While firefighters battled the blaze around the clock, another wave of support was building across the state. The Maine Strong Memorial Foundation, a Lewiston nonprofit, launched a relief fund on Monday for the 12 injured firefighters and the family of fallen firefighter Andrew Cross.

Within 24 hours, Mainers donated $1,300. The foundation hopes to raise at least $1,000 for each injured firefighter and additional support for Cross' family by the end of May.

Maine Raises $1,300 in 24 Hours for Firefighters

"We want people to be supported in these times they weren't expecting," said Stephanie Libby, vice president of the foundation. Every dollar donated goes directly to those impacted by the fire.

The Ripple Effect

The response has created a network of care extending far beyond the fireground. Volunteer groups like Canteen 19 continue providing meals and hydration stations to prevent exhaustion among crews still working the scene.

For many volunteers, the mission feels personal. "A lot of us have firefighters and EMS friends and family members, so when you kind of put yourself in that perspective, we really wanted to make sure we were here to help," Libby said.

The Waldo County Firefighters Association has established an official relief fund for continued support. Donations can be mailed to WCFFA, P.O. Box 112, Morrill, Maine 04952, with "Robbins Lumber Firefighter Relief" in the memo line.

Sarah Joliet's mother has a saying that captures the spirit of the response: "Maine is a neighborhood, it's not a state."