Officials with relief agencies say aid and donations for disaster relief in Graniteville have been heartening.
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Eleven pallets of bottled water from Bi-Lo were donated to the Aiken Salvation Army. The Aiken Red Cross has gotten about $3,000 in donations.
Andrew Davis Tucker/Staff
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"The outpouring has been absolutely tremendous," said Karyn Yaussy, a spokeswoman for the Aiken chapter of the American Red Cross.
Since the train wreck and chlorine release that killed nine people, hospitalized hundreds and forced the evacuation of more than 5,000, about $3,000 has been donated to the Aiken chapter, she said. The funds will be used to help fulfill the emergency needs of the victims, Ms. Yaussy said.
The agency ran several shelters for Graniteville evacuees. Now that the shelters are closed, the Aiken Red Cross chapter is providing snacks and water to people waiting for assistance at Norfolk Southern's assistance center, she said.
She also said the Red Cross is now focusing on the emotional and spiritual needs of disaster victims.
The support will be needed "long after any visible (relief) activity is completed," she said.
Augusta's Red Cross chapter also made a substantial contribution to the effort. About 55 volunteers and 10 paid staff members went to help, said Vernon Zinnerman, the Augusta chapter's emergency services director.
"It's the biggest (effort) since the 1990 flood," he said.
The Aiken chapter wound up with at least 100 volunteers assisting in the relief effort, Ms. Yaussy said.
Emergency workers, who have come from across the Savannah River and all over South Carolina, also need to eat after working long shifts.
The chapter is also delivering meals to law enforcement and other emergency workers at barricades, Ms. Yaussy said.
Robert Viera, the development director for the Aiken branch of the Salvation Army, said his organization has been helping to run a 24-hour canteen at the incident command center.
He said many organizations and companies have donated food, water and other items, including 11 large pallets of bottled water from Bi-Lo. More than $1,000 was donated to his agency.
Reach Jeremy Craig at (706) 823-3409 or jeremy.craig@augustachronicle.com.
DONATIONS
Monetary donations to relief agencies assisting in the Graniteville train disaster can be made to the following agencies:
American Red Cross of Aiken 267 Laurens St. SW, Aiken, SC 29801
American Red Cross of Augusta 1322 Ellis St., Augusta, GA 30901-2749
Midland Valley Area Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 310, Langley, SC 29834
The Salvation Army of Aiken 322 Gayle Ave. NW, Aiken, SC 29802
Special Section: Graniteville Train Wreck
On January 6, 2005, a Norfolk Southern Corp. freight train carrying chemicals hit a parked train near an Avondale Mills plant in Graniteville, South Carolina. The impact caused poisonous chlorine gas to leak from three of the moving train's cars. Nine people were killed and more than 5,000 people were evacuated from the site.
For complete coverage of the Graniteville train wreck, visit our special section.
