WINDSOR – The parking lot of Bertie County Social Services was packed Tuesday morning as residents and business owners affected by the recent flood filled up the room, waiting to talk to representatives from the American Red Cross (ARC) and North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEMS) to see what kind of help may be available to them.

The Joint Mobile Operations Center (JMOC), a division of NCEMS, is on hand along with the ARC to assist those in Bertie County residents who were impacted after the remnants of Tropical Storm Julia dumped 17 inches of rain during a three-day stretch last week. That resulting in major flooding after the Cashie River rose to a level of 15 feet – nearly twice the flood level.

“We expect to be here for the duration, however long that takes,” stated Michael Brown, a Disaster and Mental Health Volunteer for the Northeastern NC ARC.

An Emergency Response Vehicle is on site stocking supplies and snacks to hand out to those seeking assistance, as well as a NCEMS mobile command post. The United Methodist Men and the Southern Baptist Men’s Association also has volunteers on hand to accept applications for those organizations to potentially help those whose homes or businesses were flooded.

According to Brown, as of Tuesday, the four teams assembled by the Bertie County Tax Department were still in the process of performing assessments to real property around the county. The final monetary number that the teams assess will determine whether or not the county qualifies for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA).

Bertie County Manager Scott Sauer confirmed that as of 1 pm Wednesday, the teams were still in the process of making those assessments. He further stated, “Representatives from the Small Business Administration (SBA) are one of the four teams out in the field, and they are determining whether or not individuals and businesses will qualify for grants rather than loans.”

Brown said the ARC works at the request of county government, under the direction of Bertie County Emergency Management Director Mitch Cooper.

“We just help coordinate what everyone else does,” Brown stated.

Since the JMOC opened its doors at Bertie County Department of Social Services Tuesday morning, Brown said they had seen about 80 family units (not including individuals within those families), come through the center.

“We have been able to help people with financial assistance who have no clothes, food or shelter as well as providing cleanup kits and a ‘What Happens Now?’ brochure for what they can do in their homes as well as get mental help for the trauma they’ve experienced. We also give out comfort kids that contain items like combs, toothbrushes, toothpaste, Kleenex – things like that,” he stated.

Brown wanders around the center talking to people, attempting to reassure them and referring them out to community mental health providers, if needed.

“What’s really discouraging to most people is realizing how long it takes for (government help) agencies to get things sorted out. At the end of the casework process, what we want people to be able to do is have a sense of what their disaster recovery needs are and how they’re going to meet those needs. Often, when people get that sorted out in their heads, it can help them to start to feel better,” he said.

Brown continued, “Some of these people have been through this situation three times in 17 years. It’s a hard thing for anyone to go through even once, but after three times, many are ready to just give up and need the mental help we can start to offer them. People don’t like to talk about it, but there is absolutely no shame in asking for help.”

The intersection between North and South King streets remained closed on Wednesday so crews could more safely clean up, as well as a section of Church St., Dundee St., Grey St., and Water St.

Windsor Chief of Police Todd Lane said that he expects the roads to stay closed until later this week.