By Alex Bass
Alex.bass@triangletribune.com
DURHAM – Durham Mayor Leo Williams saw and heard just what he needed to in the Rippling Stream Road area of the Old Farm neighborhood after Tropical Storm Chantal. “That just gave me so much hope – to see people smiling in a crisis situation,” Williams said, recalling words he heard from residents. “’We’re all right. We’re going to be alright.’”
Chantal induced parts of the Eno River to surpass a level last seen during Hurricane Fran in 1996. “This time, it got out of its banks,” said David Swain, Durham’s deputy fire chief of emergency operations. “It was moving pretty fast, like the rapids of a river.”
Williams noted the active presence of the Durham Fire Department and the American Red Cross, and asked what he could do. “Can you ask everyone to call 1-800-RED CROSS (733-2767),” Williams was told.
An integrated network of municipal, civic and church groups activated collaborative activities. Emmanuel AME Church opened as a Red Cross shelter Monday. “We’re helping people with their emergency supplies, giving them a place to sleep and helping them figure out next steps,” said Kelly Flynn, the Red Cross’ regional director of communications. “We will continue to keep it open as the community needs it.”
Durham Public Schools Athletics Director David Hackney said he has not been notified of any athletics facilities issues. Beyond Durham, six other counties, Flynn said – Alamance, Chatham, Lee, Moore, Orange and Person – have homes that were evacuated. More than 60 Chapel Hill residents had to leave their homes Sunday and were transported to a safe shelter.
Public art was decimated at the Eno Arts Mill, now closed “indefinitely,” per its Facebook page. That same July 7 Facebook post continued: “It’s truly beyond words, and it feels strange to be juggling such gratitude with sorrow.”
Chapel Hill resident Salima Smith did just that while contemplating the presence of 3 feet of water and also helping artist Denise Page retrieve what she could.
“Sadly, about 95% to 98% of her art supplies were lost,” Smith said. “She has worked really hard to establish herself as an artist and secure her studio space, and it all got washed out in one night. I know that she’ll be OK, though. We are a praying people, and we know that God is in charge.”
Back in Durham, Swain said the fire department has resumed somewhat normal operations, with responses in affected areas being for 9-1-1 calls. The department has done post-response analysis and discovered opportunities to enhance early tracking of storms moving from places like Alamance County.
Swain added that Chantal response collaborations among city entities were among the best he has seen in three decades.
“Everything seemed to be very seamless. Everybody knew what their roles were and what they could do to help,” he said. “Everybody stuck to those roles and pitched in. Everybody worked to get to those common goals.”
