BELLE, W.Va. — A local disaster response organization is moving forward with recovery efforts in Eastern Kanawha County following Monday’s devastating flash flood.
Executive Director of West Virginia’s Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster team, or VOAD, Jenny Gannaway told MetroNews their recovery work began as soon as the heavy rains ended Monday morning.
“That day we were out in Witcher Creek giving out supplies, and then on Tuesday we started in the other areas that were flooded, because on Monday we weren’t able to get in there,” Gannaway said.
She said they used their office as a temporary emergency evacuation site and have been assisting residents with the extensive clean up process, giving out flood buckets, mops, brooms, and sending volunteers out into the field to muck out homes.
On Monday VOAD also organized its Coordination Cause which is made up of volunteer agencies, county and state officials, the state’s Emergency Management office, the Resiliency Office, and partners from the national VOAD to discuss the next steps in assisting people with their recovery efforts.
Gannaway said several churches and faith-based organizations such as Southern and American Baptist, and a group of Amish from Mennonite Disaster Service have also been helping to clean up people’s homes.
The Salvation Army and the United Way have collaborated with VOAD to provide meals to those affected, and Gannaway said they have even needed to provide emotional and spiritual care teams to help families cope with the destruction.
“The devastation has been really hard to see in the areas that it hit,” said Gannaway. “It’s not as widespread as we’ve seen in the past but in the locations in Eastern Kanawha County that it did hit it was really bad.”
Gannaway said she has noticed one demographic who has been particularly hurt by this flood.
“We’re seeing a lot of elderly that have been affected, and that really breaks my heart to see things they’ve worked for all of their life has now been destroyed by water,” she said.
She said volunteers with VOAD have especially been pushing to get the elderly people’s homes back to being livable again.
Gannaway said because the state can’t normally help to the full extent which people need, volunteers able to lend a helping hand are often the only option for many.
“We’re in a poor community where they don’t have the extra money to be buying all of the supplies needed to clean the mud and things out of their homes,” Gannaway said.
She said they are also encouraging people to fill out Survey 123 under Weather Damage that the state has sent out as it helps the state formally assess all of the damage to send to FEMA, who can potentially provide residents with more relief if they decide the damage is extensive enough.
Gannaway said if people need assistance filling out the form they can call the office of VOAD at (304)553-0927 and they will walk them through the process of filling it out. They can also stop by the office at 2700 East Dupont Avenue for in-person assistance.
She said they will continue to work with people to help with flood recovery for the rest of the week and all weekend.
“We’re here, we’re going to continue working, helping families and getting supplies out to them, and we won’t quit until the last family is back into a clean, safe home,” Gannaway said.