Town of Erin, WI – Neighbors across Washington County, WI, have been following Forrest Peterson from the Town of Erin who has been volunteering with hurricane cleanup in North Carolina this week. Today is expected to be grim as the men head to Castle Rock for a recovery effort following devastation caused by Hurricane Helene.
Peterson phoned in an update around just after 7:30 p.m. Wednesday evening. His voice is raspy as he battles a head cold. “The weather down here is actually pretty nice,” he said. “Fifties at night and in the mid-70s during the day.”
Peterson’s spirits are pretty high considering he is knee deep in the cleanup of devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene. On Wednesday, Peterson and his father helped cut a path through fallen trees for a 70-something couple struggling to navigate the wreckage of their property.
The couple live in a remote area, their half mile-long driveway was and littered with debris and twisted power lines. The couple had just enough of a trail cut for a riding lawnmower, allowing them to reach safety.
“Many residents, like this couple, face a long and uncertain wait for their power to be restored,” said Peterson. “In some towns, like Bat Cave, residents are told they’ll be without electricity until after winter.”
Peterson said more bad news was relayed today, as the hurricanes hitting Florida are having an impact on the Carolinas… and not with another storm impact. “With the hurricane hitting Florida, this area won’t be front page news anymore. The electric companies pulled their linemen and are sending them to Florida.”
Volunteers, however, are showing a mighty resolve. Peterson said the churches have opened their doors, offering food kitchens and shelter to those in need. Local businesses and individuals had stepped up, transforming a modest country hardware store into a haven stacked high with donations of food, water, and fuel.
Logistics have been interesting. Peterson said the crew he’s with are finding their groove.
“It’s very much like snow plowing,” he said. “It’s like navigating a maze of contingency plans, trying to coordinate a response that’s both immediate and sustainable.”
Peterson is encouraged by the comments his articles receive on social media and he was pleased at the donations during Burger Night at the local VFW in West Bend, WI.
“We are well-stocked with food and water, but what’s truly needed are generators, propane, and cash donations to provide long-term housing solutions for those who’ve lost everything,” he said. “Many residents were not insured for flooding, and they were already struggling before the storm; now, their plight is more desperate than ever.”
On tap these next few days is a trip to Chimney Rock. Peterson said the men are going and the situation is expected to be grim.
“We’re going to tackle mucking out buildings and sealing things up to prevent looting,” he said. “It will also be a recovery effort.”
Peterson preferred not to go into detail but indicated the death toll is far higher than the numbers being reported.
Peterson and his father are working with the organization Spokes of Hope. It’s a trusted source for people who would like to make a donation.
Peterson met up with his father, Lynn, in Indianapolis; he too is driving a separate truck and trailer filled with supplies. The pair are working with a group called Spokes of Hope Faith Responders.
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Peterson spent Monday night in Morganton, North Carolina.
“I saw some damage, but we finally got here in the dark,” Peterson said. “We came over the mountains by Linville Gorge in North Carolina and there were fallen trees sprawled across highways, barriers bent and broken.”
Peterson and his dad traveled Highway 181; they’ve heard Highway 221, has way more damage.
“My mother-in-law was just showing me pictures of the Catawba River which is about a mile from her house,” he said. “That’s one of the main rivers that flooded, and it was about a foot from the bottom of the bridge, so it was up at least 30 feet, and it’s just washed away everything in its path down the river.”
“I also talked to a gentleman who had been up there working, and he said all they did was open roads up for people to get through. There’s just piles and piles and piles of debris everywhere. That’s just going to take… years to clean up.”
Peterson said he hopes to be on the road at 7 a.m. “We’re just going to go out, clear debris, open roads, and, if necessary, enter homes and try to help where we can,” he said.
Peterson said he was going to dedicate a week and hoped to make an impact.
“Ours is such a small effort to help spark hope in a place that’s seen too much damage already,” he said.
A team from West Bend, WI will then head out to take over.
Stay tuned, as Peterson will file more stories about the cleanup following Hurricane Helene.
On a side note: The VFW Post on Sand Drive in West Bend, Wi, is collecting donated items during Burger Night on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
