Truckloads of ice were distributed throughout the county Thursday, as well as bottled water and food.
Truckloads of ice were distributed throughout the county Thursday, as well as bottled water and food.
“The Bandytown, Twighlight, Wharton, Van, Spruce River, Prenter, Racine, Whitesville areas were some of the hardest hit areas and we will be distributing supplies as long as they last,” said Boone County’s Director of Maintenance Kerry Dickens.
Dickens added that West Fork, Pond Fork, Jeffrey, Meadow Fork and Spruce Laurel are also without power and are still struggling to make it through last week’s storm.
“BB&T Bank donated 4,000 bags of ice and the Boone County Commission has brought it in from North Carolina,” Dickens explained. “We have been passing out bottled water and expect two more truckloads.”
Dickens said the county has also passed out over 1,000 meals ready to eat.
“We over 4,000 more meals coming this weekend,” he added.
Dickens said county workers, volunteers, and emergency responders in the county are doing everything they can to help those in need.
“Water, ice and meals are being taken to the elderly and those living in the rural areas of the county,” he said. “All the utility and water companies are doing all they can to recover from these devastating storms.”
Storms continued Thursday, as a lightning strike damaged Kanawha County’s Emergency Operations Center.
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and First Lady Joanne Jaeger Tomblin continued traveling throughout the state today meeting with storm victims and local leaders regarding recovery efforts.
Gov. Tomblin said he saw the latest storm recovery progress firsthand in Wetzel, Marion, Gilmer, Nicholas and Kanawha counties, while First Lady Tomblin traveled to Braxton and Fayette counties.
"We are seeing progress throughout West Virginia, but there is more work to be done as new storms present new challenges," said Gov. Tomblin. "Thursday’s lightning strike at Kanawha County’s Emergency Operations Center damaged the facility but not the functionality of the 911 system."
“It never ceases to amaze me-the resilience of West Virginians,” said First Lady Tomblin. “This week I have seen firsthand how groups and organizations come together, not only to help each other but to help their communities as a whole under the most difficult of circumstances.”
Truckloads of ice and water continue to be distributed throughout the state, the governor added.
“Over 600 National Guard soldiers performed health and wellness assessments, and delivered food, ice and water,” he said. “More than 25 FEMA workers assisted individuals in communities across the state. Power crews restored electricity to more homes and businesses, decreasing the number of outages in the state to 247,000.”
Kevin Dalton, a dispatcher with Boone County 911, said most of the calls coming into 911 are concerns over heat, the elderly and those on home oxygen machines.
“They are in need of transport to medical facilities and have questions about what they should do if there oxygen machine is running low,” he said.
Dalton says 911 should only be used for emergency calls and situations, while non-emergency calls and questions should be directed to Greg Lay at the Boone County Office of Emergency Management at 304-369-7273.
“We will try to assist them in any way we can,” Dalton said.
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