‘Help us’: Storm victims plea to state leaders for more temporary housing

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Gov. Roy Cooper paid a visit to Pender County Thursday to speak with first responders and other workers at the Emergency Operations Center.

The governor says Pender County was one of the hardest hit counties by Hurricane Florence. He called it a gut punch to North Carolinians, especially those in southeastern North Carolina.

Gov. Cooper gave a speech to everyone working at the EOC commending them on their hard work before walking around and speaking to people individually.

Gov. Cooper thanked first responders during a visit to Pender County on Sept. 27, 2018. (Photo: Matt Bennett/WWAY)

He says according to a preliminary assessment 38,000 structures in Pender County have been damaged by Florence.

He says flooding occurred where it never has before, and he listened to stories about the significant number of water rescues that were made.

The governor says if the storm left you homeless, sign up for FEMA immediately.

“FEMA can help provide for immediate funding for temporary housing for people,” Gov. Roy Cooper said. “In fact I think they have already distributed about $24 million to people. We’ve had over 95,000 people to register for FEMA right now, so that’s the first thing that people can do.”

One of the hardest hit areas within the county is the Cross Creek neighborhood in Hampstead, where many people are currently living out of tents and cars.

Robert Babson lives in that neighborhood and has sort of taken charge as things went south after the hurricane.

He told WWAY that many homes were still underwater, water filled with human waste from septic tanks overflowing, and floating animal carcasses. He says he and others have to wear respirators just to deal with the smell as they try to gut their houses before more damage occurs.

He had a message to the governor on behalf of the desperate neighborhood.

“Help us, help my volunteers, help my neighbors, help my family,” Babson said. “They don’t have a home to go to no more. He’s our leader. He’s North Carolina’s commander in chief. Help us. Be the man you were meant to be. Be the leader.”

Babson says it has been difficult to communicate or even reach out to agencies like FEMA because he cannot even charge his phone.