Volunteer Fire Department. Photo: C. Leinbach
Thanks to Tideland Electric Member Cooperative, the lights went back on last night and right now, Ocracoke Island is looking for electrician teams of 5- to 10-people to restore essential needs in businesses and homes, the emergency commodities manager said today.
If you are able to be part of a group of four or more, please let us know by emailing ocracokedisasterrelief@gmail.com. We will need 24 to 36 hours or more to book passage and authorize your group.
A mandatory evacuation for non-residents is still in effect, and residents were only allowed back yesterday.
Hurricane Dorian on Friday (Sept. 7) lashed and inundated Ocracoke Island as the eye passed by. Almost all ground floor businesses and homes were inundated, and everything is a mess. Accommodations for helpers already on the island, as well as those residents who are now homeless, are scarce.
The emergency commodities manager has issued the following statement:
If you are able to be part of a group of four or more, please let us know by emailing ocracokedisasterrelief@gmail.com. We will need 24 to 36 hours or more to book passage and authorize your group.
We have had to create this restriction because we do not have the resources to have a large amount of people on the island at this time.
Additionally, we cannot provide overnight accommodations on the island due to the extensive damage to structures. Many of our community members remain homeless due to the flooding.
If you are able to work around those restrictions, please let us know. Ocracoke has always been in a unique situation in terms of access, and this storm that has devastated our community has, in turn, created an incredibly unique and difficult relief effort.
Please do not misinterpret these restrictions for a lack of gratitude. Ocracoke appreciates every person who contacts us more than you can know, and we would love to have your passionate help if the requirements can be met.
People have contacted us to drop off supplies, and we appreciate that. The Cedar Island Fire Company is available to accept goods if you can get there. We are working on a contingency for off island drop-off on Hyde County mainland, but that has not yet been decided.
Also, understand that, down the road, Ocracoke will continue to need help. Ocracoke won’t be whole for a while and will need help for a long time.
This disaster isn’t about individuals. It’s about our community as a whole. We understand many individuals love our island as much as we do. Unfortunately, we cannot facilitate help from single persons at this time.
If you want to directly help islanders, please send checks with “pastor’s discretionary fund” in the memo line and that money will get to those in need on Ocracoke.
Ocracoke United Methodist Church
P.O. Box 278
Ocracoke, NC 27960
Ocracoke Lifesaving Church
P.O. Box 68
Ocracoke, NC 27960
