WS Chronicle

By Todd Luck

The Chronicle

Local businesses and organizations are responding to the severe flooding in South Carolina.

The state received more than 2 feet of rain the first weekend of the month, resulting in rapid flooding that left houses and streets under water, and affecting 13 dams. About 270 state-maintained roads and 140 bridges have been closed. The flooding has killed at last 17 people and did an estimated $1 billion in damage.

There’s been a massive response to the flooding. Duke Energy, which had more than 1 million customers effected by the disaster, donated $100,000 to the American Red Cross efforts in both North Carolina and South Carolina. Lowe’s Foods, a grocery store chain based in Winston-Salem, donated three truckloads of bottled water to the South Carolina Emergency Management Disaster Receiving Center in Winnsboro, S.C.

Churches have also responded. Locally First Baptist Church of Stanleyville sent a team of 15 volunteers to help with disaster relief as part of N.C. Baptist Men, an auxiliary of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. N.C. Baptist Men sent volunteers to coastal Horry County and Johnsonville, S.C., as well Brunswick County, N.C., which has also had flooding.

The state government of North Carolina sent six pallets of bottled water, 500 road barricades to block dangerous roads, three Civil Air Patrol planes, three Helicopter and Aquatic Rescue Teams and personnel to help South Carolina. There have been 545 N.C. National Guard soldiers and airmen with more than 200 vehicles deployed to help in clearing roads, reinforcing dams and removing debris.

Salvation Army units across North and South Carolina have sent mobile feeding units, which provide water and spiritual care to residents and first responders in the hard hit areas. They had served 37,472 meals (hot and cold) to hard-hit areas of South Carolina as of Tuesday, Oct. 13.

Major James Allison, area commander of the Salvation Army of the Greater Winston-Salem Area, said people can help by giving to the Salvation Army’s efforts.

“The best way to help is certainly through monetary donations, because that way we have the resources to purchase the items we actually need in the quantity that we need them and get them to where we need them,” he said.

Piedmont Triad Red Cross Director John Hughes also said the best way to help with his organization’s efforts was through monetary donations that’ll go directly to disaster relief.

In response to the flooding, Red Cross opened 35 shelters for displaced residents. The non-profit also mobilized 700 workers and more than 27 emergency response vehicles. As of last week, the local Red Cross has sent 10 people and an Emergency Response Vehicle, which distributes food and water, to affected areas.

Hughes said the flooding was “mammoth” in scale and Red Cross will be there in the coming weeks to help with the recovery.

“It’s going to be weeks and months of recovery and the people of South Carolina need all the help they can get,” he said.

To donate to the Salvation Army, visit SalvationArmyCarolina.org/flood or text STORM to 51555 to receive a link for giving on a mobile device. To donate to the Red Cross, visit redcross.org/donate/donation or text redcross to 90999 to donate $10 to the organization.