Firefighter Garrett Russell poses in front of one of the Roseburg Fire Department's trucks.

When Misty Hayes ordered over 180 items from Walmart to be delivered to her house, the last thing she expected was the Roseburg Fire Department to knock on her door.

Hayes was in charge of food for her neighborhood’s block party to celebrate the Fourth of July when she placed the order for groceries to be delivered. She did not think twice, but when her daughter came bounding down the hallway saying there were firefighters at the front door, she was shocked.

“I was waiting for my Walmart delivery but the fire department showed up instead and said the guy that was supposed to deliver my groceries got into a bad car accident,” Hayes said. “They dropped off all the groceries. They unloaded all the groceries from his car and brought them to us.”

Bradley Strong was that delivery person. Strong said his car was totaled as a result of a rear-end collision with another car. According to Strong, the driver side tire blew on the car in front of him resulting in the accident. Strong said nobody was injured beyond scrapes and bruises.

However, he was concerned that Hayes’ grocery items would not be delivered. The firefighters took it upon themselves to complete the delivery.

“I was shocked, I thought my house was on fire or there was an emergency,” Hayes said. “I came running out there and they asked if I had ordered groceries.”

The Roseburg Fire Department managed to deliver everything Hayes ordered except the strawberries. Firefighters Garrett Russell, Doran Gillespie and Lt. Parker Brown were the firefighters responsible for the delivery.

Roseburg Fire Department Chief Tyler Christopherson said when firefighters saw the amount of groceries they wanted to help, understanding the situation needed additional support.

“Acts of kindness like these reinforce the strong bond between our department and the community we serve,” Christopherson said. “We are not just emergency responders; we are neighbors, friends and a support system for those in need. We are committed to making a positive impact on the lives of our citizens, and this incident is a testament to that commitment.”