Duke Energy supports Pender County Emergency Management with grant

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Duke Energy awards Pender County Emergency Management with a $25,000 grant.

According to Duke Energy, twenty government agencies and nonprofits are receiving Duke Energy Foundation grants of $25,000 to fund severe weather preparedness measures. These Helping Emergency Response Organizations (HERO) grants will help prepare community resources, emergency responders, and residents for major storms.

Tommy Batson, the Pender County Emergency Management Director, says, “Pender County, along with many coastal communities/counties, is one disaster from losing the communications we use every day. Tropical Storm Helene hit western North Carolina in the fall of 2024, and the everyday radio communication, cell service, and internet were lost. Pender County, along with many other agencies from across the country, had never seen this. This grant from Duke Energy will help us bridge this gap during the next event.”

$7,500 of the grant will be going to Pender Auxiliary Communications, according to Pender EMS & Fire. They say the funding will be used to purchase emergency communications equipment that will strengthen first responder communications during disaster response operations.

Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry has also received a grant from Duke Energy.