EVIT student helps flood victims

EVIT fire fighting student Shane Walters is already showing his inner-hero.

Shane spent much of last Thursday and Friday cleaning up storm damage at his grandmother's trailer park community in Tonto Basin and helping residents move their belongings to higher grounds. One entire row of homes had been completely knocked out, Shane said. In the storm's wake was excessive water damage to many of the homes, sheds and vehicles in the neighborhood, as well as contaminated well water.

Shane's grandmother's home went mostly undamaged, he said, but he and his family came out to help others, many of whom are elderly, who weren't as fortunate.

"It's a lot of work, especially for older people," Shane said. "So they asked me to help, and I did. I really like helping there."

And he said he'll be back out there this weekend, helping out some more, despite an injured shoulder.

"They're all one big team, a unit," Shane said. "I was just helping save what they can, and that means a lot to me."