Local firefighters help with flood relief; Governor’s office announces opening of online donation portal

As harrowing images continue to pour out of the many flood-ravaged areas of eastern Kentucky, people all across the Bluegrass are asking, “What can we do to help?”

The floods, which are to blame for at least 16 deaths as of Friday afternoon, have essentially washed away entire communities across several counties, including Letcher County, which is where a group of local emergency service personnel were dispatched to lend a hand.

“We got the call at about 6 a.m. yesterday morning, asking about the availability of the Corbin Fire Department to respond,” explained CFD Captain Trevor Allen. “We were deployed to Isom in Letcher County, which was a hard-hit area.”

“We cleared some of the roadways that had not been reached yet, an then we were able to make it into the city limits of Isom. We cleared some people out of that area, and then moved on to Whitesburg, which was a very hard-hit area. It was just… devastation.”

Allen, along with Lieutenant Mike Neal, Captain Eric Philpot and firefighter Ben Craft, returned home during the overnight hours after spending all day assisting with the rescue efforts. The Corbin crew worked alongside units from other parts of the region to check on residents and deliver much-needed supplies.

Allen, who has worked in emergency services since 2009, said that he has never seen a situation quite like this. “We went to Marshall County back in the spring after the tornadoes that came through there,” he said. “This was much worse than that.”

With roadways washed out, bridges and train tracks swept away and utilities non-functional, Allen said that those most affected by the historic flooding are in severe need of basic necessities such as drinking water, clothing and shelter. Still, he warns that only trained personnel should be the ones attempting to reach the people in these areas at this time.

“I know that people want to go over there and help,” Allen said. “But the situation is still very dangerous. Let the trained professionals do what they need to do to keep everyone safe.”

“Instead, start gathering supplies and contact some of our local churches who are beginning to organize and figure out ways to get everything delivered in a safe and secure manner.”

With more rain in the forecast for the days ahead, it is currently unclear just how much worse things could get for the folks in eastern Kentucky. Allen said that, based on what he has already seen, the road to recovery will be long and difficult.

Governor Andy Beshear’s office released a press release Friday, announcing that a request for a Federal Disaster Declaration had been approved by President Joe Biden for 13 counties, including Breathitt, Clay, Floyd, Johnson, Knott, Leslie, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, Owsley, Perry, Pike and Wolfe.

The Governor’s office is also encouraging Kentuckians to help by donating to the now-open Team Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Fund online portal, which can be found at www.TeamEKYFloodReliefFund.gov.