SEE PHOTOS FROM THE RESPONSE >>
Photos by Bob Bartosz, Nash County (NC) Fire Photographer
Nash County (NC) first responders were kept busy during Hurricane Matthew arrival and for many days after. All 16 county stations plus city of Rocky Mount fire Department answered hundreds of water rescue calls plus other assistance and a few working dwelling fires.
The swift water rescue teams were going 24 hours straight. On one particular call was in the Rocky Mount section of Bunn Farm subdivision which was spread out with over eighty homes. Rescue workers were able to enter the first division of a large flooded area and were unable to take their equipment across the large section of water to reach the second division. This was about three or four blocks away.
A call was placed to the Army National Guard for assistance with their Humvee to be used to carry the rescue boats and personnel. Many people were still trapped in their homes including one elderly woman who was bed ridden and she was taken out on a Stokes Basket and was placed in the rescue boat and them taken to the Army Nation Guard Humvee and was taken across the flooded first section to an awaiting EMS Unit.
Responding to this incident was Rocky Mount Fire Department Swift Water Team and Stony Creek Swift Water Rescue Team. Both Teams worked over five straight hours going from door to door checking for residents and transporting family members and their animals to dry land.
The town of Nashville (NC) business area had a very bad flood condition from the fast rising water from local streams, covering about 5 blocks of the main business area. Their were still many customers in the restaurants and stores when the fast-moving flood water started to cover the area very quickly. Nashville first responders had to work quickly removing the trapped people plus the fast moving water was involving homes down stream trapping the occupants. One particular home they were able to remove four family members that were trapped in 4 foot of water in their home. No injuries were reported.
While this was happening, overflowing rivers and streams were causing havoc in other Nash County towns. Many first responders were responding to cars trapped in high water and occupants were rescued from vehicle roof tops. Many homes had the first floor of their homes flooded and residents were unable to exit.
As of this writhing, many other counties surrounding Nash County are experiencing a lot of major flooding and property damage. Many people are being rescued from cars and homes.
