Abington’s new police chief, John Bonney, knew the Hurricane Helene relief effort would mean a lot to Deputy Chief Jeffrey Postell, a son of the North Carolina mountains.
He wasn’t quite expecting it to stir the generosity of Abington residents.
“I am completely overwhelmed by the generosity shown by everyone involved,” Bonney told Abington News.
What started as a small collection effort by the Abington Police union and administrative staff turned into something bigger.
“Once we posted the images of what was collected on that first day it just exploded,” Bonney said. “We actually have more items than we can fit on the truck.”
Photos posted by Abington Police show stacked boxes upon boxes of donated items inside the station’s meeting room. The Police Department invited local media to see the volume of donations as it was being packed up Tuesday and prepared for the nearly 1,000 mile journey to McDowell and Haywood counties in western North Carolina.
“Thankfully other public safety agencies are doing their own drives. We will make sure the donations we collected go to a good home,” Bonney said.
Both McDowell and Haywood counties will receive 18 pallets of donated items, including water, baby clothes, diapers, and cleaning products, WBZ News reported.
Hurricane Helene roared ashore Sept. 27 as a massive Category 4 storm, killing more than 230 people and causing tens of billions of dollars in damage between Florida and Virginia. Perhaps the most extensive damage took place in western North Carolina, which had already ensuring creek-swelling trains prior to Helene. The tropical storm then dumped several more inches of rain on the region, sending flash floods roaring down through Appalachian riverside communities, scouring away thousands of roads, bridges, homes, and businesses.
Photos and videos of the region captured in the days since show brown scars of mud and debris cutting through the hilly landscape. Hundreds remain missing or stranded due to washed out roads and bridges, according to reports.
A major relief effort is underway in the region. More than 1,500 first responders are working in the area, according to local media reports.
“When you view the images from the impacted area your thoughts are first with the victims. I have a friend whose colleague lost her entire family to a mudslide,” Bonney said. “From a policing standpoint, your thoughts are then drawn toward the public safety personnel that must be worrying about their own families and homes, while working feverishly to protect their community from the impact of this horrific storm. Many first responders were not able to go home for days.”
The West Bridgewater, Carver, and Norwood police departments and Avon Fire Department have also organized collections.
Abington Fire Captain Chris Cotti and Chris O’Toole, a firefighter/paramedic, recently spent two weeks in the region as part of the state’s emergency response teams.
It’s all part of a local response to a national tragedy several states away.
“The distance doesn’t matter to us,” Bonney said. “Parents have forever taught their children to find the helpers in time of need. We are the helpers and that is what we did.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.