News

LIGHTNING PHOTOS: Water drive draws steady response

April Riddle, the Western North Carolina director for Gov. Pat McCrory, carries a case of donated water.

By Bill Moss, Published: October 7, 2015

Local residents and officials streaming into Jackson Park today to donate water and money to flood victims were greeted by the top executives of Hendersonville and Henderson County government, each taking their turn to load cases of water.

The city and county announced Wednesday that they were joining forces to send a tractor-trailer load of bottled water to Columbia, S.C., which had its water system badly damaged by the weekend flooding.

"We threw this together in less than 24 hours," County Manager Steve Wyatt said. "If only the federal government could act that quickly. One thing we're hearing from people is I'm glad we're doing something. You can tell by their smiles they know they're doing something good."

The team of 15 city and county officials helping out included Wyatt and City Manager John Connet and many of their department heads. Also on duty was April Riddle, the Western North Carolina director for Gov. Pat McCrory.

"We are fully committed to helping out neighbors in South Carolina," she said, noting that the went had earlier deployed a rescue helicopter and paramedics. "We realize it could have very easily been us."

That feeling was shared by Henderson County and city officials, who had declared a state of emergency on Friday as the storm approached.

The truck carrying 1,200 cases of water will leave Friday for  Red Cross warehouse in Columbia.

"We've committed that all of our efforts, whether the water or fundraising, is going to the Red Cross in Columbia," said Emergency Services Director Rocky Hyder. "They're caring for basic needs as well as housing needs." The county Rescue Squad was ready to send its swiftwater rescue team to the flood-ravaged region. "We offered and we were on standby for a while," he said. They never had to go.

People who drove up donated either bottled water or money.

Wyatt said he was already talking to the elected commissioners about how Henderson County could help the flood victims when Hendersonville City Councilman Jeff Miller called about a joint response

"The wind blows in strange directions, but this time it didn’t blow in our direction. It could’ve easily been us. With that in mind, we need to rise to the occasion and help our neighbors in South Carolina,” he said in a news release.

The city and county thanked Chip Gould, CEO of Cason Companies, for providing the tractor-trailer and a driver to transport the water to Columbia.

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