Edinburgh-founded group aiding North Carolina hurricane survivors

Hoosiers are collecting donations for recovery efforts after areas of the southeastern United States were devastated by Hurricane Helene.

The Civilian Crisis Response Team, an Edinburgh-founded group made up of about 2,000 volunteers in 19 states, is coordinating relief efforts to get supplies to hard-hit areas of North Carolina.

The group is currently accepting a limited list of donations at various locations across the state, including one in Johnson County at 2900 Graham Road, Suite 8, Franklin. Local donations can also be brought to the Columbus Municipal Airport, where Hoosier pilots are assisting with getting donations to people who need them.

The death toll from Helene has passed 150 as of Tuesday, making the hurricane one of the deadliest storms in U.S. history, the Associated Press reported.

Helene made landfall in northern Florida on Sept. 26 as a Category 4 hurricane, quickly moving through Georgia, the Carolinas and Tennessee. The devastation of the storm was “especially bad in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where at least 50 people died in and around Asheville, North Carolina,” according to the AP.

Several main routes into Asheville were inaccessible due to washed-out bridges and mud-covered highways. Residents are left without power and cellular service and the city’s water system was severely damaged, the AP reported.

Columbus Airport Director Brian Payne said the effort began Monday and continued today, with supplies such as canned food, toilet paper, paper products, tarps, pet food and more being brought to the airport and then being flown out on small single-engine or twin-engine planes with volunteer pilots.

On Monday, the planes delivered the items to Hickory, North Carolina, but the federal agency FEMA has now taken control of that airport, and planes are now flying from Columbus to hard-hit Asheville, North Carolina, Payne said.

Payne said the group has connections with a group of helicopter pilots who are delivering the supplies directly to civilians. As much as 2,000 pounds of supplies have so far been flown to North Carolina from the Columbus airport and the effort will continue on Wednesday.

About 98 pilots are helping distribute the supplies, said J.R. Grounds, Civilian Crisis Response director.

On Tuesday, Payne said seven planes were loaded with 2,800 pounds of supplies for North Carolina disaster relief.

State Rep. Mike Speedy, R-Indianapolis, said he has used his morning stops at the Columbus Municipal Airport to top off his loads of supplies. On two trips on two consecutive days, Speedy said he hauled about 2,400 lbs. of supplies with his own plane on behalf of the Civilian Crisis Response Team.

The Civilian Crisis Response Team is made entirely of volunteers, most of whom are former first responders. The group started as a way of training civilians to be more prepared during disasters and emergencies, but quickly evolved into much more, Grounds said.

In 2016, they were asked to assist in clearing out driveways and roads after a tornado ripped through Kokomo. That’s when they “got bit by the bug of helping out in disaster service,” Grounds said.

In the years since the group has assisted in relief for several disasters and has deployed during every major hurricane. Whether it be debris cleanup, humanitarian aid, or rescue, the Civilian Crisis Response Team has been there, Grounds said.

The group helps train and certify volunteers in floodwater and swift water rescue, operating chainsaws and more, he said.

When Hurricane Helene came through, they quickly realized boats were not going to be of any use and began coordinating supply delivery by helicopter, Grounds said.

“It really says a whole lot about our spirit and really how much we can come together,” Grounds said. “Especially during an election year where it seems like everybody’s being torn apart in different directions. … Then you have something like this and everybody comes together. It doesn’t matter where they live or what political party or what religious organization or any of that stuff, they come together to help their neighbors out and that’s pretty amazing.”

The group is asking for donations of toiletries, pre-packaged foods that don’t require can openers or heat, pet food, baby formula, diapers, and more. Although they hate being picky about the donations given, the group does have to be selective due to the means of transportation. Being selective is vital to ensure they keep aircraft within weight and balance limits and Federal Aviation Administration regulations, Grounds said.

The group will be accepting donations at various drop-off sites across the state now through Friday. They hope to have the last of the flights out on Saturday. Then, they will reassess the conditions and continue to find the best way to assist, Grounds said.

They ask that people only donate what is on the list. Monetary donations can be made by sending them on message on their Facebook page, Civilian Crisis Response Team or through their website, www.7ccrt.org.

How to help

The Civilian Crisis Response Team is collecting the following items for Hurricane Helene survivors in hard-hit North Carolina.

• Powdered Baby Formula
• Diapers
• Wet Wipes
• Small bagged pet food (15 lbs or less)
• Canned pet food
• Ready-to-eat food in sturdy packaging (Nothing requiring a can opener)
• Portable Electric Lanterns (Solar is best, but battery-powered lamps are accepted too. Please provide the batteries.)
• Trash Bags
• Toilet Paper
• Sanitary Napkins
• Hygiene Items (toothpaste, mouthwash, wet wipes)
• Feminine Hygiene Products
• Plastic Silverware/ Paper Plates
• Plastic Tarps of any size
• Insulin needles (no insulin or other medications)
• Alcohol Wipes

Donation Drop Off Locations:

• Civilian Crisis Response Team Location, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., 2600 Graham Road, Suite 8, Franklin, IN.
• Columbus Indiana Airport Main Terminal, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., 4770 Ray Boll Blvd., Columbus, IN.
• North Daviess High School Bus Garage, from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., 5494 East State Road 58, Elenora, IN.
• Crawfordsville Regional Airport, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 759 W 400 S, Crawfordsville, IN.
• Bloomington Airport, Cook Aviation FBO, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., 970 S Kirby Road, Bloomington, IN.
• Vernon Baptist Church, Family Life Center, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., 155 Washington Street, Vernon, IN.
• Perfect Shade Tinting, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., 341 Hiawatha Drive, Elkhart, IN.
• Putnam County Airport, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., 1595 Ballard Lane, Greencastle, IN.
• THURSDAY ONLY: Indianapolis Regional Airport, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., 3867 N Aviation Way, Greenfield, IN.
• WEDNESDAY ONLY: Whitney Wenher, Big Lots, 1345 Clifty Drive, Madison, IN.
• Monterarily at www.7ccrt.org/donate

The (Columbus) Republic, a sister newspaper to the Daily Journal, contributed to this report.