In trying to convey conditions in Greenbrier following the massive June 23 flooding that ravaged much of southern West Virginia, Director of Emergency Services Laura Pysz decided to show City Council, rather than tell them.

 

At Monday night’s Bridgeport City Council meeting, Pysz took the podium, as requested by the governing body, to share experiences she encountered while being on loan for several weeks to work with coordination of flood relief efforts.

 

Before she started her presentation – which included the video below - Mayor Bob Greer expressed his appreciation.

 

“I want to thank Laura in advance for taking this responsibility – for being away from your family while you were doing this good work and we do appreciate your efforts,” he said. “We’ve heard from Greenbrier County that they appreciated your help.”

 

After the Pysz said the entire city of Bridgeport immediately got on board with flood relief efforts. June 23 was a Thursday and within hours supplies began piling up at Bridgeport Fire Department for delivery. Several truckloads of supplies were ultimately sent. On Fri., June 24, Bridgeport sent a water rescue team – a team of four firemen/paramedics who were invaluable to Rainelle.

 

“Their photos were all over the U.S.,” Pysz said.

 

It was June 28 when Pysz was dispatched to Greenbrier County to manage volunteers and donations sent into the county. The devastation was widespread – stretching across the county – she said. She worked side by side with Senator John Unger and with many organizations, including Samaritan’s Purse, AmeriCorps, United Way and various religious organizations.

 

“We had to get everyone on the same page, making sure not to step on each other’s toes so we made a resource guide as to who was doing what,” Pysz said. “We tried to tell organizations coming into the county that if they were not on the resource guide, they didn’t exist. We needed to know they were there.”

 

The work done in Greenbrier County by Pysz and her team, a long-term recovery group, set the blueprint for other counties dealing with flood devastation, she said.

 

“We worked as an amazing team to get things accomplished,” she said. “They still have a long way to go, but we definitely helped out. There was a lot of devastation and heartache.”

 

Pysz spent an entire month in Greenbrier County, returning home to Bridgeport July 28. She said it was a humbling experience and made it clear that it wasn't just her work, but the combined work of many people and organizations, including Bridgeport Fire and Police, who all united for a common purpose. She said she wished she had time to mention every individual and organization that touched her heart during her time spent in Greenbrier County.

 

“It was priceless. I kept a journal of my time and had people I worked closely with sign it – sort of like a yearbook,” she said. “It’s a reminder of how things can be very bad, but also of an opportunity to help people.”

 

There were a total of 16 deaths in Greenbrier County due to the floods. Included was 14-year-old Mykala Phillips, who was missing for weeks before her body was recovered.

 

Pysz left the remainder of her presentation to the video. Council and all in attendance at Monday’s meeting were somber and speechless.

 

Councilman Dustin Vincent said the presentation was very powerful and that, indeed, a picture  is worth a thousand words.

 

Editor's Note: Pictured top is Pysz giving her presentation Monday night. Also pictured is Pysz with some of her team members in Greenbrier  County.