Water donations placed on hold

Heather Rawlyk

Friday, Oct. 31, 2003 | 11:11 a.m.

Donation info

Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may also be sent to the Southern Nevada Chapter of the American Red Cross at 3672 North Rancho Drive, Las Vegas, NV, 89130 or to the American Red Cross P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013. Internet users can make secure online credit credit card donations by visiting www.redcross.org. For more information about the water drive at the Palms, or to find out when they will resume taking donations, call 942-7777 and ask for Michael Scarselli.

Local firefighters are asking residents to hold off on donating water for the next 72 hours.

Distribution problems in California caused a plea for bottled drinking water put out Tuesday by the Clark County Fire Department to be temporarily suspended late Wednesday.

Michael Scarselli, who is helping out with the efforts at the Palms, said that while California will definitely need more water in the near future, there is not enough warehouse space to hold all of the water that is being sent.

"At this time they cannot distribute the water as fast as it is coming in," he said.

Scarselli said Thursday that the water donation center at the Palms is not stopping the drive, but putting it on hold for 72 hours.

Firefighters were still collecting water from several collection points throughout the day Thursday. The Palms currently has two truckloads -- more than 11,000 cases of water -- waiting in the parking lot until the logistics officers in California give them the green light to move it westward.

Scarselli said he is amazed at how much Las Vegans have donated to help out their neighbor state.

"We just have had such tremendous support," he said. "Basically we were able to bring in water so fast that California didn't even have enough time to distribute it all. That's not necessarily a bad thing."

Bob Leinbach of the Clark County Fire Department said that residents should now donate toward other causes, such as the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Valley residents can make donations to this fund by calling (800) HELP-NOW.

Penny Towers, executive officer of the American Red Cross of Southern Nevada, has received many calls from generous Las Vegans.

"The American Red Cross is diligently working to provide relief to our California neighbors," Towers said. "We have received numerous calls from valley residents who want to help, by providing material donations."

Towers said only financial donations should be sent because residents are not equipped to accept physical donations.