Amid fire, storms in Nevada and Midwest CIF reminds industry it’s available to help

The Collision Industry Foundation (CIF) is reminding the industry how it can help collision industry professionals amid ongoing and recent natural disasters in Nevada and the Midwest.

Individuals and business owners can apply for assistance from CIF if they’ve lost personal property, such as a house, from a disaster, including accidents or other catastrophic events. To apply for assistance, click here.

The Hawk Fire in Reno, Nevada, that began on Aug. 22, had spread over 15,000 acres as of Tuesday morning, with evacuation orders in effect across Northwest Reno and the North Valleys, according to the Reno Gazette Journal.

“Approximately 63,000 residents live within the mandatory evacuation and evacuation warning zones,” the article states. “The fire was listed at 27% containment as of 10 p.m. Monday.”

The Reno Gazette Journal added that the wildfire spread from the Sierra foothills towards Reno, and officials have said the fire was human-caused.

As of Tuesday morning, the newspaper reported no fatalities, four civilian injuries, and minor injuries sustained by three firefighters.

Deadly storms and tornadoes also recently hit the Midwest, in Northeastern Illinois and Northwestern Indiana, on Aug. 11, causing widespread damage and power outages.

Forbes calls the storm “a powerful derecho.”

“Derecho” means “straight ahead” in Spanish. In weather, the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (a NOAA office) defines the type of storm as having straight-line winds, compared to the spiraling winds of tornadoes or hurricanes.

“The storm was a massive complex that produced winds in excess of 100 miles per hour and several tornadoes,” the Forbes article states. “At least seven deaths have been attributed to the storms, and two weeks later, many people are still reeling from the storms and lack of power.”

On Aug. 22, CIF took to social media to remind collision repairers they’re available to help:

In late July, to commemorate its 25th anniversary, CIF invited every member of the collision repair industry to participate in its “$25 for 25” fundraising campaign.

The campaign encourages 1,000 individuals to donate $25.

“For the past quarter century, the Collision Industry Foundation has served as the industry’s support arm, delivering emergency assistance following hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, floods, medical emergencies, and other life-altering events,” states a CIF press release. “When technicians, shop owners, estimators, office staff, and others in the collision repair community find themselves facing the unimaginable, CIF provides timely financial support to help families stabilize, recover, and begin rebuilding their lives.

“While corporate partners and annual donors have long provided the foundation for CIF’s fundraising success, the ‘$25 for 25’ campaign is designed to engage individuals throughout the industry and demonstrate the collective impact of many small acts of generosity… The campaign reflects CIF’s belief that meaningful impact doesn’t require a large gift. A $25 donation, multiplied by hundreds — or even thousands — of caring individuals, strengthens the foundation’s ability to respond quickly when disaster strikes.”

Ann Gonzalez, former CIF vice president and long-time volunteer, added: “Every dollar donated represents more than financial assistance — it represents hope.”

“Our industry has always taken care of its own,” she said in the release. “Through the ‘$25 for 25’ campaign, we’re inviting every technician, shop employee, supplier, insurer, educator, and industry professional to join us in ensuring that help is available when our colleagues need it most.”

Individuals can support the “$25 for 25” campaign by making a $25 donation, or any amount, and by encouraging colleagues, friends, and family members to participate, CIF said in the release.

To donate or learn more about the campaign, visit CIF’s website. As of Tuesday afternoon, CIF had met $1,775 of the campaign’s $25,000 goal.

To make a one-time, general, or annual donation, visit CIF’s “Donate” page.

Images

Featured image: Olga Yastremska/iStock