#HurricaneFlorence – September 24 Update
Hurricane Florence may have left the United States a week ago, but the effects of this weather-related tragedy are being felt across most of the eastern portions of North Carolina. Some of the most devastated areas include Wilmington, New Bern, and Fayetteville. The Carolina and South Atlantic Conferences that were directly affected by this disaster are working hard to determine how best to assist in this Recovery effort.
The Carolina Conference has set up a Warehouse in Winnesboro, SC, where supplies such as flood buckets, paper towels and tissues, food items, household items, and etc. are being stored. Phil Rosburg, the conference ACS DR Director, operates this facility by loading pallets of items that are being donated, and then transporting them to Centers where they’ll be distributed to those in need. Another area where we are engaged in is New Bern. Assessments of the New Bern community will be done by ACS DR and Southern University students.
The South Atlantic Conference ACS DR Teams met with the city leaders of Wilmington, and also the church leaders of the Ephesus SDA Church. They discussed the situation and developed a plan of action based on a ‘needs list’ for the area. A door to door assessment of the surrounding community will be conducted by local ACS volunteers, followed by Distribution of donated goods for the community. On Tuesday, a food distribution is planned in Fayetteville with the city officials for hot meals. On Wednesday, the Greater New York Conference DR Team, led by Walter Harris, will be arriving to assist in these communities.
Let us continue to remember the communities that have been affected, as well as the DR Teams that are actively involved in the Recovery Efforts.
Hurricane Florence is gradually making its way towards the East Coast mainland and is expected to make landfall late Thursday night/early Friday morning around the Carolinas. W. Derrick Lea, NAD ACS DR Director, met with the directors and coordinators of the Southern and Columbia Unions and some of the Conferences under the respective Unions: Carolina, South Atlantic, Allegheny East, Chesapeake, Potomac, and New Jersey. Our ACS DR Teams in the mentioned conferences appear positioned well. They have developed a plan of action for this type of a crisis event. Flood buckets are in place throughout each State that is in danger. Personal care kits are available and ready for use. Warehousing agreements are in place and our teams await the exact location for operations to begin. Some conferences that may not take a direct hit as anticipated earlier, are on standby to assist with the Recovery Efforts. We continue to have conversation with the State, American Red Cross, and ADRA as to how we might work in concert as Recovery begins. Please keep our ACS DR teams and each of the communities that will be affected in your prayers.