If you’re planning on donating to the victims of the deadly medical jet crash, there are certain red flags to look out for so that the donations go to the right place. NBC10 Responds reporter Tracy Davidson explains.
Resources are available for neighbors and victims of the medical jet that crashed in Northeast Philadelphia on Friday night.
The city's Office of Emergency Management partnered with the American Red Cross as well as the School District of Philadelphia to open a shelter for anyone who was displaced.
Officials are urging anyone who see anything unusual or resembling debris to not touch it but to call 9-1-1 right away to report it.
For more on resources that are available, read on:
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Town hall on Wednesday, Feb. 5
A town hall for residents impacted by the deadly medical jet crash in Northeast Philadelphia was held on Wednesday evening at S. Solis-Cohen Elementary School on 7001 Horrocks Street in Philadelphia.
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During the town hall, the American Red Cross and city officials shared resources for impacted residents.
Also, officials unveiled the One Philly Fund intended to help victims of disasters that occur in Philadelphia. To learn who is eligible or how to donate, click here.
Shelter for anyone displaced
The American Red Cross - South Eastern Pennsylvania Region opened a shelter at the Samuel Fels High School in Northeast Philadelphia.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Feb. 4, officials said the shelter was scheduled to close at 8 p.m. that evening after serving the displaced residents.
The Red Cross also provided around 80 additional products to help the victims injured during the crash. The organization will have resources available on Wednesday, Feb. 5, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Red Cross location on 1401 Rhawn Street in Northeast Philadelphia.
See debris?
If you think you see debris from the medical jet crash, officials with the city of Philadelphia are urging you to not touch it.
Please call 9-1-1 right away to report where the debris is so crews can take care of it.
Report property damage
Property owners can contact the American Red Cross to report damage that occurred because of the crash.
You can call 1-800-Red-Cross or click here to visit their website.
According to PECO and PGW, crews were working to restore power and gas service to homes impacted by the plane crash.
258 homes were without power after emergency crews requested service be shut off, PECO said.
"PECO crews have now restored electric service to all those it is safe to do so," the agency said in a statement.
For help, you can call PECO's emergency line at 800-841-4141 or go to their website by clicking here.
If you smell gas, call PGW right away at 215-235-1212.
Support for local businesses
Business owners and workers who are having trouble staying open because of the ongoing investigation into the crash have resources to turn to through the city.
You can call the Department of Commerce's Mayor's Business Action Team at 215-683-2100 or you can email business@phila.gov
Mental Health services available
For anyone having a hard time coping with this tragedy, the city of Philadelphia is offering mental health services through the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services.
You can call 2150685-6440 or click here to visit their website.
Road closures, public transit changes
Road closures were in effect around where the crash happened in Northeast Philadelphia. This also impacted some SEPTA bus routes.
Officials with the city's Office of Emergency Management said that PECO and PGW have confirmed all services have been returned in the area near the crash, except for immediately impacted buildings.
But, they said, there will be repairs needed to lights, traffic signals and roads.
By Monday, Roosevelt Boulevard had fully reopened to traffic while Cottman Avenue reopened on Wednesday, Feb. 5.
Officials have said only two bus routes, the Route 70 and 77 busses, remain detoured due to the crash.
To contact SEPTA Customer Service, call 215-580-7800. For the latest on route changes, click here.
For the very latest information from the city on this developing story, you can click here.
To stay up to date with information from Philadelphia's Office of Emergency Management, you can text "READYPHILA" to 888-777.
Tips on donating to victims
While you may feel compelled to donate to the victims impacted by the crash, Mayor Cherelle Parker has warned about being careful with giving money to any online or social media campaigns soliciting your help.
"There is no GoFundMe established," Parker said during a press conference on the jet crash. "Nothing has been established on social media to formally impact this so if you are seeing that, Philadelphia, it is not formal and we ask you to proceed with caution."
A GoFundMe spokesperson shared four things to look out for when reviewing a fundraiser:
- Does it have a clear title, image and story?
- Is the organizer transparent about how the funds will be used?
- How is the organizer related to the recipient of the funds?
- Look at the comments on the donation page
"Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by the devastating plane crash in Philadelphia," the spokesperson wrote. "At GoFundMe, our mission is to help people help each other. During humanitarian disasters and other crises, our team proactively monitors the platform for related activity and works directly with fundraiser organizers to verify fundraisers and help ensure funds safely reach those affected. Our top priority is to balance speed and safety, and the robust systems we have in place to keep our site safe and accountable are what allow us to do this work .”
City officials said they're still working with partners to set up formal donation options. The Red Cross is currently not soliciting donations for goods or money. The Salvation Army also is not accepting goods right now. They are accepting monetary donations, however.
"By far the most efficient way to help us respond to disasters immediately," Christopher Crawford, of the Salvation Army of Greater Philadelphia, told NBC10. "We were able to get there on scene within 45 minutes of the call because we had the cash on hand to get our people out there. And it feels great to donate a blanket or something, like a case of water, or something like that. But if you give cash to an organization like the Salvation Army or other agencies who are on the ground there, we're able to kind of get the most out of your dollar."
As of Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, the Salvation Army has served more than 1,500 meals and nearly 4,000 drinks to some of the displaced residents in Northeast Philadelphia.
You can learn more about the Salvation Army's disaster response here or by calling 215-787-2800.
