Staunton News Leader - 09/13/2018 Copy Reduced to 78% from original to fit letter page Page : A01

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2018 ❚ NEWSLEADER.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK

HURRICANE FLORENCE

A flood of supporters
In Waynesboro,
businesses and
residents get help
making sandbags
Laura Peters
Staunton News Leader
USA TODAY NETWORK

WAYNESBORO – Joseph Laurenzo

was driving by the Arch Avenue park-
ing lot with his girlfriend Wednesday
morning when he told her to stop and
let him out of the car.
There were dozens of Waynesboro
residents and business owners shov-
eling sand into bags to prepare for
Hurricane Florence.
“Hey, thanks Joe for helping,” one
man said.
“Hey, no problem,” Laurenzo re-
sponded. “I had nothing to do today.”
That’s just Laurenzo’s demeanor.
He saw a need and wanted to help.
He lives in Waynesboro and drove
by Tuesday evening to see people bag-
ging sandbags, but couldn’t stop. So
Wednesday morning when he didn’t
have to work and saw them again, he
knew he had to do something.
“You know, people need help,” he Joseph Laurenzo, left, lends a hand as residents and business owners make sandbags at the Arch Avenue parking lot in
said. downtown Waynesboro. LAURA PETERS/THE NEWS LEADER
His Waynesboro residence will
probably not see much flooding dam-
age, but he knows plenty of people in
the flood zone.
“I like to help. It’s these people I’m Health care Localities prep
centers get set for hurricane;
worried about,” he said. “I like to be a
good Christian. The first step of that is
about being powerless.”
The city provided sand and sand-
bags for residents and business own-
for aftermath inland flooding
ers at the Municipal Parking lot at Arch
Ave and Main Street in downtown of Florence is key concern
Waynesboro as well as in the cul-de-
sac on Brookside Cove in the Club Monique Calello Julia Fair
Court and River Shores neighborhood. Staunton News Leader Staunton News Leader
USA TODAY NETWORK USA TODAY NETWORK
The city did urge residents and
business owners with properties in
flood prone areas to remain alert and STAUNTON – The Legacy at North Hurricane Florence could mimic
be prepared to move if an evacuation is Augusta recently had a practice evacu- Fire Chief Barry Lotts with the Hurricane Camille’s heavy rain and
ordered. ation drill in August with the Staunton Riverheads Volunteer Fire flooding that devastated parts of Vir-
As of Wednesday morning, a poten- Fire Department. Department follows firefighter Mike ginia nearly 50 years ago, said Jeff
“We have to practice,” says Fonda Reed around the firetruck they were Caldwell, director of external affairs
See FLORENCE, Page 2A Sundeen, Legacy’s director of sales working on at the Staunton-Augusta with the Virginia Department of Emer-
and marketing. “It is really important Rescue Squad’s building in Staunton gency Management.
to understand how we orchestrate in 2010. As Florence nears, Deputy That’s when about 150 people died
that, and it is done very precisely.” Fire Chief Jason Ball at Staunton Fire overnight due to Hurricane Camille
Get the latest coverage Health care facilities have to have a and Rescue is monitoring the storm. flooding in Virginia.
plan of action for natural disasters. Home health-care centers and Caldwell said the department is
More stories on Florence preparation
At The Legacy that means having a hospice organizations have more concerned about inland flooding
can be found at newsleader.com
minimum four-day supply of water contacted him for information on rather than extreme wind damage in
and food, along with emergency shelters and emergency procedures. Virginia.
Inside equipment and outlets needed for oxy- This includes helping residents to Parts of Virginia could still get be-
Check on the elderly early for disaster evacuate to shelters.
preparedness. Page 3A See CENTERS, Page 2A MIKE TRIPP/THE NEWS LEADER See LOCALITIES, Page 3A

Copyright © 2018 Staunton News Leader 09/13/2018

September 13, 2018 10:17 am (GMT +4:00) Powered by TECNAVIA
 “We’re hoping it isn’t go- least 48 hours, says Ka-
ing to be so bad, but we’re Deputy Fire Chief Ja- ren Hurt, case manager.
Staunton News Leader - 09/13/2018 Page : A02
ready if we need to be.” son Ball at Staunton Fire Senior center mem-
They want to make
sure everyone living there
feels secure. Residents
are treated on a case by
case basis.
“We have a minimum
Florence woman said approaching
the sand pile.
caused massive flooding
in her basement.
It was recommended “I’m waiting for it to
of four days’ supply of Continued from Page 1A by the city to bring your happen,” she said of the
emergency food and own shovel, but bags and flooding.
drinking water at all tial for 4 to 6 inches of zip ties were provided. She made four sand-
times; this minimum is rainfall was in the fore- Many were around to bags and had built up a
mandated by Virginia’s cast with higher amounts help with heavy lifting. concrete wall to help pre-
Assisted Living regula- possible along the moun- The sand is available on a vent water getting into
tions, but we exceed that tains. Runoff and upslop- first-come, first-serve ba- her basement.
ing effects from the sis. Those filling bags on
mountains can increase Jerry Cash, who is a Wednesday weren’t fight-
rainfall and drainage into member of Clearview ing. They weren’t angry.
Getting it right the South River water- Church on Main Street in And they weren’t scared.
shed, the city said. downtown Waynesboro There was a sense of
The News Leader Wednesday morning remembers Hurricane community and calm-
strives to be accurate in there were dozens of peo- Camille in 1969. ness among them. They
its reporting. If you ple gathering bags, load- “Water was halfway up were all there to lend a
think we’ve made a ing up trucks and given Main Street when I came helping hand.
factual error, please call on another a hand. to work,” he said. “Sometimes it’s not
Executive Editor David According to some But he said he isn’t your brothers and sisters
Fritz at 213-9116. Cor- Waynesboro Fire and panicking. you grew up with, it’s the
rections will appear on Rescue officials, the giant “We’ve got three doors ones who are watching
this page. pile of sand at the Arch to protect,” Cash said. your back,” Laurenzo
Avenue lot was the fourth “We’ll take it as it comes, said.
load since Tuesday. The God’s in charge. It’s what Follow Laura Peters
city would be replenish- we’ll deal with.” @peterslaura and
ing the sand whenever it Kimberly Booker @peterpants. You can
got low. moved to the area in reach her at lpeters@
“Looks like you’ve got April. Since then, two newsleader.com or 213-
to shovel your own,” one major storms have 9125.

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September 13, 2018 10:17 am (GMT +4:00) Powered by TECNAVIA