Plano Fire Chief Marty Wade, right, accepts a donation of 50 disaster relief backpacks from the Kiwanis Club of Plano on May 13.[/caption]

The Kiwanis Club of Plano donated 50 disaster relief backpacks to Plano Fire-Rescue on Wednesday to help provide needed items to adults and children affected by an emergency or disaster.

The backpacks, labeled by age and gender, are filled with items such as diapers, wipes, baby bottles, toiletries, books, school supplies and emergency information. The bags will also be given to residents who firefighters meet on emergency calls. "It's very common for a family or individual to have almost nothing to get them through that first night following a house fire," Fire Chief Marty Wade said. "These backpacks will help us know that the basics are covered. By looking at what is in each backpack, it is evident that a great deal of thought and care went into selecting the items placed in the bags." The Kiwanis Club of Plano purchased the backpacks from the Kiwanis Texas-Oklahoma District. In the past, these bags were donated to tornado victims in Granbury, Texas, and Moore, Oklahoma. "This is first time we've done this for [Plano Fire-Rescue]. This is a district-wide project [and] we keep a big supply of these on hand for natural disasters," said Rex Howard, president-elect of the Kiwanis Club of Plano. "They're extremely important and are greatly appreciated." For information on the Kiwanis Texas-Oklahoma, visit www.txokkiwanis.org.