Seven Springs station gets $25,000
By Steve Herring
Published in News on December 14, 2016 9:57 AM
SEVEN SPRINGS -- Joey Roberts heard a vehicle go past his home near Seven Springs on the night of Oct. 10 as Hurricane Matthew raged.
He realized that the vehicle had been swept away by floodwaters.
A member of the Seven Springs Fire Department, Roberts found some rope at this home and was able to pull the two people who had been in the truck to safety.
"We saved several people who drove off into floodwaters and lost their vehicles," Chief Jeremy Price said. "We were able to save, I would say, four to five people that night during the height of the storm."
Like most of its neighbors in this riverside town, the home of the Seven Springs Fire Department's station house was left gutted by the floodwater that accompanied Hurricane Matthew.
It had 5 feet of water in it at one point during the flooding, Price said.
However, the department remains strong and committed to serving its community, he said.
"We are looking members every day," he said. "We want to continue to grow."
For now the fire trucks have returned to the old station, but only until a new station can be built.
"We are looking to relocate out of the flood zone and rebuild," Price said. "We are still looking land. The original station has been there since 1958 so over the years we have outgrown the building so we are going to try to increase of a new station.
"We will definitely be out of the flood zone."
Tuesday night that project received a $25,000 boost through a donation by Southern Bank and Trust Co.
"There is nothing that I can say that would do justice to the service in which you all give to the community," said Greg Eloshway, Southern Bank senior vice president and area executive.
Eloshway and Craig Jones, a bank vice president serving Wayne and Lenoir counties, presented the donation during the department's meting at the Seven Springs Baptist Church fellowship hall.
Eloshway said he had spoken to folks in other communities that like Seven Springs had been devastated by flooding.
"You guys got hit exceptionally y hard because you lost your location," he said. "I hear you are looking. So that is kind of what I am here for tonight. The bank took a look at that and saw everything that you have done for the community. I have a check for $25,000 for you guys tonight just as a way to say thanks from us for what you have done and did for the community. We appreciate it."
"We just cant express how thankful we are for it,' Price said of the donation.
Lenoir County Commissioner Mac Daughtey echoed Eloshway's comments.
"I came down here the day before the flood crested," he said. "I chatted with Jeremy because I wanted to see firsthand what people downstream were going have to deal with in the next 24 to 48 hours.
"What I saw then and the path that I had to take to get here -- the damage was horrendous. The job that you guys did -- the first time I was down here with Jeremy you went out on boats, and I think at that time rescue one or two people and saved their lives.
"There are not enough words to say how appreciative we in Lenoir County for what you do all of the time, but especially what you did during this catastrophe. I appreciate you every day, but I appreciate you a whole lot more if possible after seeing what people have gone through. I thank you for the people that you helped. I thank you for Lenoir County and I personally thank you fort all you do."
Looking back on the storm, Price said that the department had been split by the flooded Neuse River.
"Half of our people were on one side of the river and half on the others side," he said. "So we only had about 10 to 12 available members who could actually get to Maynards and help with the flood. Our members on the other side of the river did help with some rescues over there also."
Roberts' rescue effort was actually inside Lenoir County which makes up 40 percent of the department's district, Price said.
One guy was on top of the pickup and his passengers was swept away off into the woods, Price said.
"Our fireman by himself saved both of them," Price said. "He actually found enough rope at his house to throw them rope and pull them to safety before our boats could get there. Our boats and other departments' boats had a delay on account of washouts, flooded roads and such as that. So he saved their lives. There ain't no doubt about it.
"We were told by the National Weather Service the earlier crest time so we were very proactive and evacuated the town and local areas the day after the storm. All of the citizens pretty much listened. We had a few who stayed in their homes, but the main rescues we had were the day of the storm, the night of the storm and during the flash flooding."
On the Sunday and Monday after the storm firefighters put in 12-to-14 days helping people move out, he said. The National Guard arrived that Tuesday, but one firefighter remained with the truck 24 hours a day for the following 10 days.
Price said he hopes the community will never see that level of flooding again.