BOURNE ― An 18-wheeler filled to the brim with bottled water, dog food, diapers and more will soon depart Cape Cod to deliver needed supplies to areas hit hard by Hurricane Helene.
On Sunday morning, members from local police departments and other volunteers were busy at the parking lot of the Barnstable County Sheriff’s office, moving the mountains of donated goods into the truck. Barnstable County Sheriff Donna Buckley said her office sprung into action after calls from sheriffs in North Carolina asking for help.
She put the information out to the Cape Cod Regional Law Enforcement Council, getting local police and fire departments on board. Residents could drop supplies off at police stations in Barnstable, Bourne, Brewster, Eastham, Orleans, Wellfleet, and Yarmouth.
Nauset, Mashpee, and Bourne schools also helped collect items, as well as Waquoit Congregational Church in Falmouth.
“I just want to thank my staff,” said Buckley. “They took this request for help and ran with it. They’re here today, volunteering along with members of other local police departments. Many have brought their families, their kids ― they gave up the day to help out.”
On Sunday, Buckley said it was possible two 18-wheelers would be needed to make the trip, estimated to be about 15 hours. The supplies were expected to begin traveling from Massachusetts to Yancey County in North Carolina on Tuesday.
Transportation was donated by C. Carney Trucking of Raynham.
Costs from Helene’s path of destruction across the southeastern U.S. are expected to surpass $30 billion, one analysis shows. On Saturday, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said that there have been 93 storm-related deaths in North Carolina.
The USA Today Network analysis of Helene deaths has counted at least 228 people dead from the hurricane overall.
Helene is the fourth-deadliest hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. mainland since 1950, according to USA Today. The deadliest is Katrina, which killed 1,392 people in 2005, followed by Audrey in 1957 at a death toll of 416. Third on the list is Hurricane Camille in 1969, a Category 5 storm that made landfall along the Mississippi Coast and claimed 256 lives.
Buckley also praised Barnstable County residents for quickly taking up the call to donate supplies.
“Just take a look at the amount of donations that came through,” she said.
