Lessons learned today on the ground in Brevard, NC
As more and more communities are beginning to receive the help they need (I’m referring here to when they had absolutely no help...to then having received delivery of some supplies...not that the problems were solved...just that some of the urgency was met) it became very apparent as the day unfolded that today was going to require a pivot. Yesterday I spent most of the day coordinating some well-checks and some air-drops into cut-off communities in a virtual manner (from what I’m now calling basecamp Brevard...might as well...I can call it anything I want right?) Using my cell phone and desktop with the help of FB and internet access I was amazed and how I could utilize what many in need were posting and asking for on FB and then coordinate from my lil basecamp.
Today was a different story because the desperation was being met (some of the chaos had calmed down a bit on FB) as organizers and coordinators had begun to successfully (again...referring here to first point of contact...not problem solved) get help to those in need. Military aircraft are present in the area in large numbers (it’s not uncommon to hear and see Blackhawks and Chinooks flying around right now) as well as many private helicopter pilots many of which are working for organizations like Operation Airdrop. Huge strides are being made each day as things become more organized and communities learn who to talk to and how to get help (it’s not like there’s practice for this unless you’re from Florida...and even then...this is the mountains so it’s different.)
So today I decided to go down to some of the churches nearby that were offering free food, supplies and even free showers in some cases and see how that was going. Naturally, I witnessed some chaos...but saw some very good-hearted folks hustling around doing something that was absolutely helping people meet their needs! (Feelings of the need to be doing something is nearly killing us here too because just like you we’re all biting-at-the-bit to DO something.) I stopped by Anchor Baptist Church at 3232 Hendersonville Rd in Pisgah Forest and wow what an operation they have going on there. They basically have a mini-walmart set up there and they had all sorts of things they were able to give to those who needed it. I was there for nearly two hours watching and listening and talking to people. During this time car after car and trucks with trailers and uhaul trucks were pulling up one by one offloading donations. Loads and loads of stuff! I have no idea where they were all coming from but stacks and stacks of bottled water, diapers, canned goods, potatoes even a load of hay arrived while I was there. YAY HAY! (seeing this is a big need because of hay losses from flooding to feed horses and llamas and so forth).
While listening to folks there were stories of continued power outages, no more food at their homes, roads barely passable because power lines were tangled up into the hundreds of downed trees across the roads (some of which were HUGE trees like Oak trees). I heard stories for the first time today of someone driving towards Asheville from the Lake Lure area last week and seeing bodies of animals everywhere and also human remains (much like we heard about after Katrina). Horrific stories.
On a brighter note, it was overall a positive experience to see people able to help by donating and also for those who needed help to be able to receive this at these distribution locations.
Now just down the road at Pisgah Forest Baptist Church at 494 Hendersonville Hwy it was a much quieter seen. They were just as stocked up with water and canned goods and supplies of all kinds, but you could walk right in (no lines at all...no chaos at all) and you were met with smiling faces and helping hands. Drive right into their parking lot, walk right in the door and folks were there saying, “How can I help you, what do you need and please help yourself.”
Please help spread the word, since Anchor is where everyone is directing people who are looking for assistance, you can imagine how busy they are...lines, lines and lines. But not at Pisgah Forest Baptist Church. Get my drift here?
Mind you I get that I’m only talking about two locations here right outside of Brevard, NC ...there are dozens and dozens of locations like these all around the region helping to distribute goods and donations that everyone is sending this direction. And they are a PRICELESS resource right now...literally boots on the ground handing out very needed items to everyday folk like you and me.
Meanwhile I found out that one of the Chinook flights that landed near the hospital in Brevard was full of supplies to distribute to local fire departments, police departments and sheriff departments because these folks too are distributing sometimes right to people’s doorsteps up deep into the mountains where folks can’t get to them.
It’s something to marvel at and be right in the middle of all the pulling together and resourcing that’s happening here. Also please note here...I’m not seeing the hard stuff. The hard stuff is happening in communities that were literally washed away. Where people were being dug out of mud slides. This is what is meant when you hear people say “it’s bad here.”
And I’ve already been asked by someone out-of-state “why didn’t you know this was coming?”
This topic is for another post. I’ll be happy to tell you why “no one knew this was coming.” Stay tuned for this post.
Meanwhile please help spread the word.
Need someone to talk to?
Please call this FREE disaster
distress hotline at: 1-800-985-5990
Need food, supplies, water?
Pisgah Forest Baptist Church
494
Hendersonville Hwy, Pisgah Forest (just outside of Brevard)
open
from 9a-4p
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