Help Wanted
Sam's Pizza, a family-owned fixture in Upshur County since 1991, is adding kitchen help and delivery drivers to its team of more than two dozen at its Buckhannon location. Applicants are asked to apply in person at 9 Southfork Plaza Drive. Read more →
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WESTON — Governor Patrick Morrisey came to a grocery store that had been underwater eight days earlier and asked West Virginians to send more helping hands.
Speaking Wednesday at the Shop ‘n Save Express in Weston, on his fourth trip to the flood zone in a week, Morrisey said Upshur and Lewis counties need volunteers who can swing a hammer as recovery shifts from hauling out ruined furniture to rebuilding the homes it came from.
“We need construction volunteers to help in a lot of different ways. It’s a lot of work that has to be done, cleaning up many hundreds of homes that were harmed,” Morrisey said.
“I’m going to issue a call out,” he said. “Can we get as many people to come to volunteer, construction volunteers, and other volunteers who can help people in need in these areas?”
Upshur County officials are working to connect those volunteers with the people who need them. Anyone available to help with debris removal, cleanup, deliveries or other recovery work can sign up online and will be contacted as opportunities open.
Residents in Upshur County who need help can fill out a request form or call the non-emergency number at 304-472-4983 and give their information over the phone.
Morrisey paired the request with a plea for patience on debris.
Hundreds of workers from the National Guard, the Division of Highways, private contractors and local government are still clearing streets, and Morrisey said he approved a request for eight additional grapple trucks the night before, within minutes of receiving it.
“It’s a time for recovery and a lot of hard work, and it does take time to go in and muck out the homes,” he said. “It takes time to rebuild the bridges and the roads and to do the things that are necessary for long-term recovery. But the State of West Virginia is going to stand behind Upshur County. It’s going to stand behind Lewis County. It’s going to stand behind Pleasants County and all the counties and cities affected by Mother Nature’s wrath.”
The Guard and Highways crews have hauled nearly 6,000 tons of debris out of Lewis and Upshur counties, roughly double the total reported Monday. Statewide, the Division of Highways has removed more than 25,000 tons.
Maj. Gen. James Seward said the Guard is not close to finished.
“When the governor and Mother Nature call on the same night, it’s going to be a long few weeks,” Seward said. “And as the governor said, this may turn into a long few months. But your National Guard is here.”
Many of the troops working in the two counties came from other parts of the state, Seward said, and he thanked their families and employers.
“They might be sleeping in a hotel when they get a chance to sleep,” he said.
Seward expects the debris total to pass 20,000 tons before the mission ends.
“We’re going to keep going until the governor and the county folks that we’ve been working with say that we’re done,” he said.
He asked drivers to give the trucks room.
“If you see one of our trucks doing debris cleanup, if you can avoid that area, that’s best,” Seward said. “We want to keep them safe. We want to keep you safe.”
Morrisey again asked residents to file damage reports, the paperwork that determines how much federal money reaches the two counties. The American Red Cross has completed more than 950 damage assessments, and joint teams are still in the field.
“The decisions really get made based upon the damage assessments that get submitted,” he said. “It’s critical that we get as much of that information as soon as possible.”
The survey is at emd.wv.gov/disastersurvey.
Morrisey said he has been in regular contact with Homeland Security and FEMA about the state’s request for an expedited major disaster declaration, which he sent to President Donald Trump on July 25 but had not been approved as of Wednesday.
“I’m going to push the feds and the president as hard as possible,” he said.
That is part of why he keeps coming back, he said. On Wednesday, he learned more about damage to Robert L. Bland Middle School, one of the public buildings hit by the water.
“I want to be in a position to not only help but to make sure we’re doing it the right way,” Morrisey said. “So that’s why this is my top priority right now, and that’s why we’ve been pouring the time in.”
He said the state wants schools open on schedule.
“We don’t want people missing school,” he said.
State Police patrols in the flood zone are continuing, and Morrisey had a message for anyone thinking about taking advantage of people who lost their homes.
“The heavy hand of the state will come down hard on you if you steal from our people, or you try to rip us off,” he said.
The setting for the news conference, the Shop ‘n Save Express, is the first grocery store in the flooded area of Lewis County to reopen, according to the governor.
“If you want to see something that represents speed to build, it is this Shop ‘n Save,” he said. “These guys put it together. I urge everyone to go in. You could eat off the floor.”
He said local businesses have been doing the same kind of work quietly all week, pointing to South Texas Barbecue, which he was told had cooked more than 1,000 donated sandwiches for people in need.
“I know there are many stories like that where it’s businesses and local people in the community who are really stepping up in a way that is truly inspiring,” Morrisey said.
In Buckhannon, Mayor Robbie Skinner used his own update Wednesday to lay out what the city needs this week. He said the donation and distribution center in the Auxiliary Gymnasium at West Virginia Wesleyan College still needs volunteers. It is open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. for the rest of the week.
Skinner asked that donated items be limited to shop vacs, dehumidifiers, dog and cat food, hoses and nozzles, floor scrapers, shovels, mops and brooms, fans, extension cords, laundry detergent, vinegar and diapers in sizes 5 and 6. Officials said Tuesday that more than a dozen other categories of supplies had reached maximum storage capacity.
Money can go through the Tygart Valley United Way, the Rotary Club of Buckhannon-Upshur or the Upshur Parish House. Contributions made through those organizations stay local, Skinner said.
He also warned homeowners about the next phase of the work, as cleanup gives way to new wiring, drywall, flooring, insulation and duct work.
“Contractors might be knocking on your door asking for opportunities to help, and that’s great; we appreciate everyone who is working in our community to help our neighbors restore their properties,” Skinner wrote.
Before any work begins, he said, residents should ask for copies of contractor and electrician licenses, proof of business insurance and verification that the business is registered with the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office.
Skinner said Guard debris pickup is still running in both Lewis and Upshur counties; it is free and no appointment is needed.
“They have a tremendous amount of ground to cover, but they are making progress,” he wrote. “Please continue to be patient. They will make it to your property.”
The free crisis counseling walk-in clinic run by Wesleyan and Community Care of West Virginia remains open at the college health center from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, with no appointment necessary.
“The emotional toll a disaster can take on us sometimes is worse than the physical impacts,” Skinner wrote. “If you need help, please reach out to the professionals from Community Care and Wesleyan.”
One week out, he said, the scale of the disaster is still hard to measure.
“In some ways it feels like this past week has been a year, and in other ways, it feels like a blink of an eye,” Skinner wrote. “One week ago this morning, we didn’t have cell phone service, internet connectivity, know what to do or where to begin. But as a community, together, we’ve figured it out, step-by-step, and we’ve made incredible progress.”
The July 21 flood killed two Upshur County residents and damaged hundreds of homes.
“Yes, we are making progress, but we still have a long way to go,” Skinner wrote. “I have no doubt we’ll make it, and come out of this stronger because that’s what we do as West Virginians.”
