Helping Those Who Help Us

WATER

Helping Those Who Help Us

by JOEY MARCADES

Often times, people say the silver lining to disaster is that it brings out the best in people — it brings out the best in communities.

Earlier this year, when first responder crews from Wichita Falls and Vernon were dispatched to respond to a fiery train derailment in between the two cities, it brought the best out of our team members.

Team members Eric Knowles and Roy Azaria from #513 didn’t know it when they arrived at work, but they would soon be part of the response to the derailment. Before they knew it, they were elbow deep in coolers, water and Gatorade.

After loading 30 cases of ice and drinks, the two took the truck out to the response teams as they battled the blaze.

When talking about the derailment to the news, Brian Fritze, Wilbarger County Sheriff, told reporters that he knows his deputies and other first responders were able to do their jobs better because of the cold drinks that United Supermarkets donated. “We are just extremely fortunate to have such good people and United has always been a blessing in our area,” said Fritze, in an interview with News Channel 6. “They’ve always been very generous and very supportive of any of our needs as far as any catastrophes or any problems like this.”

Azaria, service manager, said its special to support first responders and others like them in the community.

“Everybody wants to be the movie actor, basketball player, or rock star, but those guys are the real heroes to us — the firefighters, the EMTs, the police officers, the doctors, the teachers,” he said. “That’s the real super heroes right there.”

Knowles, grocery manager, echoed that sentiment as well.

“This is the people business we’re in, we’re not just groceries,” he said. “We’re in the people business, and we’re into the community.”