MikeMooreMedia
Rockingham County Collecting Supplies For Western NC 10.01.24
Melissa Joyce, Fire Marshall. Countywide donation locations, items needed fpr people and pets. Contact information, online resources. www.RockinghamCountyNC.gov
- Broadcast on:
- 01 Oct 2024
- Audio Format:
- other
Mike Moore media. I'm talking to Melissa Joyce Rockingham County Fire Marshal. She's on the line now and Melissa, I want to get an update from you how Rockingham County is responding to help our neighbors in Western Rockingham County. So just give us an overview of what's going on because people are stepping up to help and lots of collections begin to come in and things like that, aren't they? They are, thank you so much, Mike, for having us today. We really appreciate that. So Rockingham County has started a collaborative effort to collect assistance for our families on the Western part of the state. We know that they've been devastated by the rains and the floods and the winds, and they're just really dealing with the situation that our state has not seen in a very, very long time. In order to try to provide the best services we can for them, Rockingham County has decided to reach out to all the municipalities within the county and collaborate together to do a one big county drive for support. And that drive started today, October the 1st, and it runs through October the 10th, and we're collecting the number of items. Let's go over those items and tell us Melissa why it's so important that we do this as a group too. Okay, so doing it as a group, it shows that our county is unified together. We all are working together in municipalities and county agencies to really to show how Rockingham County can shine. We're a wonderful county and it shows the abilities that we have when we see others that are in need and we can all work together to try to meet those needs to the best of our ability. Some of the things that we're collecting right now is non-perishable foods, bottled water that feels like in cases of water, blankets, flashlights and batteries, feminine hygiene products, hand sanitizers, Gatorade or even the Gatorade packets to go in the water, unopened toiletry items, and all kinds of baby supplies. That includes formulas, diapers, whites, they're going to need baby bottles, pacifiers, anything baby, they're going to need that. With the fact that they don't have a lot of power restored in that area, they may have a problem with insects. So insects phrase another one that's going to be a big thing and manual can openers. Work loves because they do have a lot of cleaning yet to do, and I don't know how many of the photos that you've seen online of the video footage, but these people in the western part, they lost everything. So new closing, trash bags, and a big thing that we like to focus is making sure that everything is new and unused. So we also, we're also collecting pet supplies because you know, just like the families are at a loss, a lot of these pets have been separated from families and so they're having to be kept in other areas. And so they're in really bad need of dog food and cat food, dry or canned, bottled waters with a pet, cat litter and crates of all sizes, towels and blankets, and cleaning supplies, including paper towels. All of this is critically important. And yes, we have seen the pictures and we've watched the news coverage. It's just hard to watch for starters and just hard to imagine that these people have just the devastation and it's just everywhere. It's just it's just unbelievable, isn't it? It really is. Some of the pictures that I have seen in some of the video footage is it's like entire communities are gone. And getting back to working together on this, as opposed to say, individuals, you know, what about someone who thinks, well, you know, I can I can make it, I can get up there on my own, I can take a semi full of supplies and, you know, that that's not the thing to do, is it? That is correct. The North Carolina State E.M. and the Office of State Fire Marshal working together to provide these services, they need all deliveries coordinated through them. And so coordinating those through them, they have a specific website to go to because what we're looking at initially, they had about 600 roads closed. The last I looked this afternoon, they still have over 300 roads closed. But those roads are not open to the public. And when I say that, even your transfer trucks, if they're not, if they don't have an assignment, and a specific place that they're reporting to, to make a delivery that's already scheduled, they're not going to let those people through. So with doing a county wide-collaborated effort, then we make one delivery for everybody within the county. And we've already submitted the request to the state to schedule our delivery time, hoping to have that delivery take place somewhere around October the 11th or if they tell us a day or two after that. But we have already submitted our request to have that delivery take place. And I don't think people realize, you know, this is a process. You've had to get this in place and all of that, the delivery around the 11th, as you said. So that would be at the end of next week. And the collaborative efforts of everyone, let's talk about that because people are coming in rescue recovery teams from faraway places, but right here in the triad, in from Rockingham County, we have some of our people there already and have been there for days. We do. We have our Swisswater rescue team, which is made up of Madison rescue members, Eden rescue members, and retail rescue members. We have a Swisswater rescue team that's been there. They deployed, I believe on Friday. We had one of our telecommunicators that deployed on Friday. He has since returned from his deployment. And then our emergency services director Rodney Kate is on deployment right now. Okay. He's a McDowell County. What is he doing there? What have you, I know you've been in communication with him, although cell phone service and all of that still very limited. He's working with the supply and supply management there in McDowell County. Mm hmm. Okay. All right. So let's talk about a lot of churches are coming together along with organizations and businesses. So where do we donate items? You've given us a pretty good idea what's needed. How do we get that to the places we need to? Any of the churches or other civic organizations or individuals, any of the above can donate items. The we have the fire departments are collecting. The county government, Rockingham County Governmental Center has a collection box. We have our collection warehouse that's located at 338 County Home Road that is also collecting supplies. We have the municipal town halls of Stoneville, Madison, May sedan, Eden and Reed Hall are all collection sites as well as all the public libraries in our county. Okay. And I know there are some certain hours maybe on some of these. So what's the best source? Where should we go to kind of find out more about this website, Facebook page, things like that Melissa? You could go to the county website and you can also go to the county Facebook page. And within both of those, that information has been shared with municipalities. And I to be honest, I have not had time to get on Facebook in the last few days. And so I'm almost certain because I did have a couple of municipalities asked me to let them know when we got it posted on Facebook so they could share it on theirs as well. Okay. All right. So we'll direct people there. And I know if you're wide open and so many people hard at work here in the county in putting this together, what else do you need us to know? Be safe. Be safe about what you do. Any donations are 100% appreciated, not only by us, but by the people in the West. They may not be able to express that right now, but hearing it from the people that are there, it is 100% appreciated. If you need your collection, if you're collecting items, your churches collecting items, your businesses collecting items, and you would like for that to go with the county's collection, you can call us, you can call me. And I can arrange for a pickup of those supplies. I can be reached at 336-634-3003. And if I'm not able to answer my phone then, if you leave me a message, I will give you a call back and we will coordinate somebody to come out and pick that up. Or they can feel free to bring it to the location to our warehouse location on County Home Road. We have signs on NCA-7N on NC-65 showing everyone directions on how to get to the warehouse. And once you turn on County Home Road, we have a message board there. We have signs all the way down Cherokee Camp Road to show you exactly where to go to drop off. And we'll unload it for you when you get there. Okay, very good. Give us your phone number again. It is 336-634-3003. Okay. And again, if you're given those those locations, people know where the libraries are and the municipal buildings all around the county. But tell us again where that maintenance warehouse is on Cherokee Camp Road. What's the address exactly? It is 338 Cherokee Camp Road. Okay. And you had given us when we talked earlier some websites. Let's go over those because there are a lot of good resources out there too that we need to check with. So if someone is wanting to make a monetary donation, the county is not set up to receive monetary donations. So if someone wants to make a monetary donation, they would need to go online to VOAD, which is V-O-A-D, Voluntary Organization Active End Disasters, or they could go to Samaritan's Purse. And if they want their monetary donation to go directly to people only affected in North Carolina, then they just designate that in their donation. Because both of those organizations work all over the country and all over the world. So if you want that money to stay for the western part of North Carolina, you just have to specify that with your donation. But I'll tell you the names of those again at the VOAD, Voluntary Organization Active End Disasters, or Samaritan's Purse. Okay. All right. Melissa, thank you. Anything else before we finish up? I just appreciate everything. Everybody, their support, they're wanting to participate. It is amazing to me to be able to see the caring hearts that our county has. You know, and isn't that true, and that's Rockingham County for you right there. Yeah. We've seen that time and time again through the years. But yeah, so thank you for everyone for stepping up and helping. Melissa, Joyce, Rockingham County Fire Marshal, thank you. And we will check in with you again and get an update. But it's good to talk to you and find out the very latest and know what's going on. And I know the information really just getting out today and getting out there, probably more people seeing that this evening, hearing about it. But you're expecting tomorrow Wednesday to be even busier as people find out more about this and where they can donate things like that too. So it looks like a couple of busy days coming up. And this just starting today in the county and going through the 10th and distributing being able to get that information are those supplies to them around the 11th, you said. So, okay. That's correct. And thank you so much, Mike, for having us and supporting this and making sure that your listeners can actually get this information. Just a small part. Glad to do what we can. Thank you, Melissa. We'll talk again. All right. Thank you so much. Bye bye. That's Melissa Joyce, Rockingham County Fire Marshal. And I wanted her to give you an update this evening on what started here in Rockingham County, a collaborative effort to collect supplies and the things that are needed to help with the efforts there in Western Rockingham County. Please go to Facebook, Rockingham County, NC, the county website for more information, and thank you for your help. [BLANK_AUDIO]