Residents warned calls seeking donations aren’t from local fire department

Lehighton residents who have been receiving calls from the Firefighter’s Support Alliance requesting donations should take heed:

The calls are in no way associated with the Lehighton Fire Department, according to borough fire Chief Patrick Mriss.

“It doesn’t mention Lehighton,” Mriss said. “We’re just reminding people that it doesn’t have anything to do with Lehighton (directly).”

The department posted the following message on its Facebook page this morning:

“It has been brought to our attentions that people have been receiving calls from the Firefighter’s Support Alliance requesting donations and making it sound like funds go to the local fire department. The funds collected DO NOT go to the local fire departments. It appears this organization is a political lobbying organization. Current fundraiser activities being held by the Lehighton Fire Department are the annual mail in fundraiser drive, the basket raffle being held on 7/6 and 7/7, as well as the annual Kauffman’s Chicken Dinner on August 9th. If you have any questions weather a fundraiser for the Lehighton Fire Department is legitimate, please call the station at 610-377-2449 or message us on the Facebook page. Thank you!”