Nova Scotia firefighter seeks storage space for gear destined for Mexico

A volunteer firefighter in central Nova Scotiawho has been collecting gear for about two yearsto donate to firefighters in Mexico needs a larger, more efficient space to store it before it is sent down next year.

"I'm out of space and I have to be careful with the bunker gear because the mice love it, just the insulation factor, and I can't let them get in and destroy it," said Shaun Burke, who lives in Brookfield and volunteers with Brookfield Fire and Emergency Services.

"If it goes to go across the border and theyfind a bunch of mice nests ...they may reject everything."

Burke has been storing the gear above his garage. Much of it has been donated by Nova Scotia fire departments when they no longer need it.

He said he has close to 500 sets of bunker gear (pants and coats), about 150 helmets, 100 sets of boots and numerous flash hoods and flashlights.

Burke said he wasinspired to donate fire gear to Mexican firefighters after reading about P.E.I. firefighter Kory MacAusland'sdonation campaign.

MacAusland had helped train firefighters in the Mexican state ofQueretaroand noticed some of the gear they had was in rough shape.

Burke said he sent MacAusland a Facebook message asking if he could be the Nova Scotia contact for the effort. At the time, Burke also had the space to store it all. But now he's looking for a better solution.

"I need an easy way to store it, like back up to a door and unload it," he said. "Right now, I have to climb the stairs up to the upstairs of my garage. I can only carry four jackets at a time."

Burke said he plans to make arrangements to get the gear to Mexico sometime in 2018.