Several members of Evanston’s fire and police departments are not just donating their money to help Hurricane Katrina victims. They’re donating their time.

Four members of the city’s department of Fire and Life Safety Services, as well as the department’s Engine 24, have spent two weeks in Slidell, La., staffing firehouses that survived Katrina and relieving other firefighters, according to the Evanston’s Web site.

Division Chief Ronn Gannon, Captains Jim DuPont and Dennis McGuigan and firefighter/paramedic Jim Regan answered a call to help from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency on Sept 4. Their task force is scheduled to return Tuesday.

Officer Jeffrey DeVroy also went to Louisiana about two weeks ago, according to Evanston Police Department Deputy Chief Joseph Bellino. Bellino said he is not sure where DeVroy is, due to poor communications access in the area, but said he is probably working near New Orleans.

“(DeVroy) has indicated to one of the other members of the department that it’s an unbelievable sight, in what he has seen in the way of destruction, loss of property, loss of life, as the recovery effort continues,” Bellino said.

Another officer is on call to go to Louisiana once DeVroy returns, Bellino said. Both were deployed as part of the department’s membership in the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System.

The mutual aid system allows police departments to request additional officers or equipment from other jurisdictions.

Alarm System officers generally have special training in areas too expensive to train an entire department in, Bellino said. In times of need, other jurisdictions’ specially trained officers can help out. Evanston has used system members from other jurisdictions in barricaded hostage situations, high-risk entries and to help handle large demonstrations.

–Tina Peng