LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — It's been nearly two months since Helene left its mark on North Carolina. Matt Daley is the director of communications and logistics with Emergency Disaster Services, a Lexington company who set out to provide services to utility workers working to restore power to areas hit hard by disasters.
He says the aftermath of Helene doesn't even translate to what Eastern Kentucky saw with floods.
"It's just incomparable on what we saw in Eastern Kentucky," said Daley. "Just so many more people affected. Here you have the north part of the state and the southern part of the state. All of that had an equal amount of damage."
EDS has been on the road since May, helping those impacted by storms nationwide.
"I'd be lying if I didn't say it take a toll on some of these guys," said Daley.
One of those guys is Senior Project Manager Matt Hinton. Hinton has been with EDS for 4 years. This year is the longest Hinton has been deployed to a storm at total of 90 consecutive days, and being on the road so much takes a toll on his family.
"They miss me and just as much as I miss them. But we get through it and they understand what I do," said Hinton.
What helps Hinton and other EDS employees keep their minds focused is the amount of work still needed in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
"Staying busy is the helpful morale booster that you need. 'Cause if we were idle or didn't have anything to do, then I would imagine that this job would be unbearable," said Daley.
EDS crews say despite the challenges, they will stay in the communities they are rebuilding as long as they are needed. Matt Daley adds that EDS can only guarantee that they'll be in North Carolina from now, possibly until the start of 2025.
