10/10/2024
Kirby is the Director of EMS in Orange County North Carolina. His mother is Ross Davis, who taught in Halifax County for many years, and was raised at Saint Timothy’s.
Pay attention to what the first responders are telling you. They have the stuff covered.
From Kirby Saunders…
I’ve been deployed to Western NC since Sunday evening, specifically assigned to lead the incident management team supporting the Town of Black Mountain. We are doing well and making steady progress.
Let me take a moment to brag about Black Mountain! This town of roughly 8,500 residents in Buncombe County (Asheville) is STRONG. Their public safety teams have conducted more than 450+ rescues since Friday (one being 93 persons at one time), have organized more than 200 volunteers, and are pouring LOVE into their community. I can’t speak highly enough about their leadership, their resolve, and their compassion towards each other in the face of such catastrophe. Simply put, they are SURVIVORS, not victims.
The most pressing challenge at this time is restoring their water supply. While ~30% of the town remains without power, 100% is without their municipal water supply (and likely will be for some time). We’ve established a regular point of distribution every day from 9A-7P for water, food, and necessities. They are overrun with spontaneous donations and unsolicited volunteers, taking away precious resources (fire, police, public works, schools facilities) to manage. I beg you, PLEASE do not donate stuff unless you are doing so to an established relief organization. DO NOT come to western NC unsolicited without a purpose and plan (contact). Unsolicited volunteers are burning fuel, precious commodities, and quite frankly, interfering in operations. I spoke to 40+ different individuals just today, instead of working to help the people of Black Mountain. If you want to help, register to volunteer or donate financially. We’ve got the “stuff” handled.
With love, from Black Mountain.