The city of Hoover and many residents are stepping up to help a well-known police officer whose home burned.

Chris Cochran and his family lost their Chelsea home during a fire on Wednesday, June 28, according to Officer Brian Hale with Hoover Police Department.

Cochran has been with HPD since 1998 and has been a school resource officer at Spain Park High School for the past nine years.

Hale said the department is assisting Cochran in any way possible.

“Here in Hoover we take care of our own,” Hale said. “That isn’t specific to just the Police Department. If a city employee needs help, we rally the troops and pitch in wherever we can. We’re a family.

“We are also incredibly fortunate to live in a community like Hoover where the citizens embrace us the way they do. Being a first responder, it’s our job to help people. In a situation like this, the folks in this community turn the tables on us and ask us, ‘How can we help you?’ It’s humbling, but at the same time we take great pride in serving such caring, gracious citizens.”

Anyone interested in donating money or gift cards can drop off donations at one of three locations:

1. Hoover Public Safety Center (the police records side of the building), located at 2020 Valleydale Road. The contact is Lt. Scott McDonald or Lori Patterson.
2. Hoover Police Operations located at 3142 Lorna Road. The contact is the desk officer or Lt. Fountain.
3. City Hall-Police Administration (first floor), at 100 Municipal Lane.

Also, a GoFundMe account was set up and can be found at GoFundMe.com/chris-cochran-hoover-al-pd.

As of the Wednesday, July 5, $8,753 of a $10,000 goal had been donated by 111 people.

According to the GoFundMe page, Cochran and his family lost all their belongings, and Cochran suffered second-degree burns to his arm, hand and face.

Cochran’s wife and four children were unharmed, according to the page.

The GoFundMe requests monetary donations because the family has nowhere to store donated items.