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| Chief Steven R. Casstevens (left) and Officer Richard Hyland are shown with some of the water collected for first responders in Flint, Michigan. (Photo courtesy of the Buffalo Grove Police Department) |
The Buffalo Grove Police Department has a problem.
Sort of.
When it announced that it was going to collect water for first responder
in Flint, Michigan, which has been hit with a water crisis because of lead in
its water system, BG cops thought they’d get donations, load ‘em in a trailer
the department owns and head off to Flint.
That was the idea.
But as of 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, the department had,
according to Deputy Chief Roy Bethge, collected 11,000 cases of water.
Yes, 11,000.
They came to the quick realization that the weight of
the water and the potential for more donations was going to rule out the use of
the trailer.
So while the department looks at alternatives to taking
the water to Flint, Bethge says donations are still coming in. Donations can be dropped off at the Police
Department, 46 Raupp, anytime. Bethge
says all shift commanders and personnel are aware of the program and will be
able to accept donations. The Police Department is accepting donations until 6
p.m. on Friday, Jan. 29.
The program started out as a local initiative, but
before long other agencies in the Chicago area began collecting water and
donated to the Buffalo Grove initiative.
Bethge says the department has received water from not
only Buffalo Grove residents, but also the Grayslake Fire Department, Schiller Park
Fire Department, the Arlington Heights Fire Department, the Union (Illinois)
Fire Department, the Lake Zurich Fire Department, and the North Riverside Fire
Department. Bethge says the Carpentersville
Fire Department is also having a drive and will bring its collection to Buffalo
Grove.
Bethge said Buffalo
Grove did not plan to coordinate the area’s collection, but “we’re glad to do
it.”
Probably not as glad
as the first responders in Flint will be to get the water.
