Residents in parts of North Carolina's Avery and Mitchell counties are at risk of heading into the winter without heating their homes after Hurricane Helen demolished the area's only heating oil station.
Rhonda Jean Kowald and her non-profit organization, the Western Carolina Emergency Network, stepped up efforts to deliver heating fuel to local fire departments in the area and distribute it to those in need, but supplies are already depleted. It is being done.
Mr Kowald said volunteers were now racing against time to supply emergency fuel before the onset of winter, which would pose an even greater risk to vulnerable residents.
“They're going to be in a very bad situation,” Kowald said.
They started with over $271,000 in donations.
As of Wednesday, they had $50,000 left, but that would only cover fuel for a week and a half, Kowald said.
“Donations have dried up because most of the news cycle has moved on,” she said.
Avery County Emergency Management Director Paul Buchanan said the demolished Quikmart station, which was serviced by Exxon, was supplying heating oil to local gas stations in the area. I also did home delivery.
FOX Business has reached out to Exxon for comment.
Buchanan said other companies have been able to deliver fuel to homes, but some areas are still too hard to access.
“The importance of supporting the supply of heating fuels, such as kerosene and home heating oil, cannot be overlooked or overstated during this time,” Sen. Ted Alexander, RN.C., told FOX Business. ” he said.
Alexander said fuel for warmth is equally important in helping people rebuild their lives.
In early October, Kowald and a large group of volunteers drove more than 4,000 gallons of gasoline from Asheboro to areas throughout western North Carolina that were hard hit by Helen.
Kowald said they started by refueling cars and generators stranded on the side of the road before building the fuel hub.
Kowald said they “learned about the fuel heat crisis in the area” while installing one of their gasoline hubs in Avery.
Soon after, it began setting up fuel heating hubs at several fire stations in the region to ensure supplies were not misused.
“Winter is here in the mountains and people shouldn't be digging their homes out of the mud beneath their feet while freezing because there's no way to heat them properly with kerosene heat or generators,” she says.
Buchanan said gas stations have begun receiving deliveries of heating oil.
But Kowald said her efforts still need to be done, saying she delivered 3,000 gallons of thermal fuel this week alone.
“There’s still a lot of need that we haven’t tapped into yet,” she said.
“We are inundated with messages asking for help or for deliveries because they are elderly or unable to go out.”
Kowald is especially concerned about the elderly, those receiving hospice care, the disabled and even those who have lost their cars and are unable to drive for fuel.
