CHARLESTON, S.C. — Firefighter credit unions from across theU.S., many of whose staff converged here today for memorialservices honoring their brethren victims of Tuesday's calamitouswarehouse fire, were looking to a newly-activated on-linefund-raising vehicle to bring in donations.

The vehicle, called CU Aid and set up by the National CreditUnion Foundation in cooperation with state leagues and foundations,provides a means for CUs across the U.S. to speed contributions tovictims of national disasters.

Indeed, CU Aid was debuted at the beginning of last year in timefor hurricane relief, but the hurricane season turned mild and asit turned out there was no need for the internet hookup which forthe first time has links to individual state league and foundationsites, said Steve Bosack, deputy director of NCUF.