Perry County flood victim and volunteer receives East KY Leadership Award

HAZARD, Ky. (WYMT) - When floods ravaged Eastern Kentucky in July of 2022, folks throughout the region stepped up to help their neighbor.

Donna Campbell, with the Lost Creek Fire Department, was no exception. She sprung to action when the floods hit her Perry County home.

“We were out trying to find them, to get them to safety,” said Campbell. “That was our major thing for two days, was to get into people’s homes and find them.”

Members of the Lost Creek Fire Department worked tirelessly to get flood victims out of their homes, and when the water level decreased, they kept working.

“We have trucks come in loaded with supplies,” said Campbell. “Food. We give out food boxes. Clothing. Bedding. Furniture. Anything that they pretty much need, we can try to find it.”

The Lost Creek Fire Department added another building to hold supplies for flood survivors, which Donna Campbell coordinates.

“We’ve actually called it our ‘blessing building,’ and we’re gonna keep that running to help people out. Even when the flood is taken care of, we will still have that, that people can come get help,” Campbell said.

Working along with disaster relief organizations, Campbell and the fire department are also organizing reconstruction of homes in the area.

“We have four (people) back in their homes. Mobile homes come in and they need porches put on them. Any crew that comes in, they work on a home a week at a time, and then you see a major improvement,” Campbell said.

Months after the flood, Donna Campbell will be receiving an award at the 2023 East Kentucky Leadership Conference in Hazard.

The East Kentucky Leadership Conference will be hosted at Hazard Community and Technical College from April 27-28.

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