St. Louis firefighter leads effort to help after the flames are out

ST. LOUIS – St. Louis resident Gerald Burse is in a difficult place. He purchased a home on Lee Avenue for his family of nine, but an electrical fire left the home condemned.

"It hurts because I love the schools my kids go to," he said. "I bought this house from the city for my kids to have a stable home."

After hearing about Burse's situation, St. Louis firefighter Cherrie Merchant joined fellow firefighters in delivering boxes of clothes and other supplies to him.

"I appreciate everything that the fire department did," he said.

"There have been times when I've gone to a fire and you want to do more for the family," Merchant said.

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She said her passion for helping others now fuels her efforts to help connect displaced residents with neighborhood resources. Merchant also created baskets of essential items she calls "rescue care kits" to provide immediate help for displaced families.

"Our goal is to help the families with some of their immediate needs and also to connect them with resources in the neighborhood," Merchant said.

Merchant and the fire department are seeking community support from agencies or individuals wanting to bolster their efforts. Anyone interested in helping can call Merchant at 314-941-9079 or by sending a message to .

St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson said with colder weather approaching, helping displaced residents following fire calls is critical.

"We just can't just leave them out in the cold," he said. "We're dedicated to the public and what we do is provide for public safety."

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