Renton’s firefighters hauled 1,142 pounds of food in a vintage fire truck to the Salvation Arm Renton Rotary Food Bank Monday.

The firefighters, members of the Renton Firefighters Benevolent Association, gathered the food from their own pantries.

Along with the food came a $1,000 check from the association; earlier the firefighters donated $500 to the food bank.

“There is an absolute need out there,” said Capt. Dan McDonald, who presented the $1,000 check outside the Fire Station 14 headquarters. The food drive was organized by Capt. Rick Marshall of Fire Station 12.

“We want to do more,” said McDonald. “But this is a good start.”

Each of the city’s fire stations has adopted a family for the holidays, providing food, clothing and gifts for each family.

Accepting the check and the food was Salvation Army Capt. Chris Aird. He praised the efforts of the firefighters.

“That’s big to me,” he said.

And he made the point that the Salvation Army doesn’t feed the hungry on its own but needs the help of the entire community during the holidays and year around.

The food was unloaded by fire crews at the food bank; it was weighed in three batches. Food bank volunteer Sheila Carter did added up the amounts.

Renton’s senior firefighter, Al Koskovich, 60, drove the fire truck from Station 14 in south Renton to the food bank near Renton Municipal Airport. He was joined by Jarrod Olin, who has been with the force for just two weeks.

Koskovich drove the fire truck as a volunteer for Fire District 40 in the early 1970s.