Hurricane Florence sends Cumberland County waste services into overdrive

SPRING LAKE, N.C. (WTVD) —

As Spring Lake resident Vincent Baker stood outside of his home on Brinkley drive, he realized how difficult it was to accept that he’s had to throw away most of this belongings because of Hurricane Florence.

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“I’d say we lost 90 percent of what we had,” Baker said. “I’m a veteran, so I’ve been faced with crisis before. I have a wife and three daughters. I have to stay strong for them. If dad cries, everybody cries.”

County waste crews loaded personal items onto their trucks to toss out on Baker’s street. The interim county waste director told ABC11 that they are seeing more trash by the day.

“Citizens who have been impacted by floodwaters are just getting in their homes. We will see that debris come in at a much slower pace,” said Jeff Brown. “Vegetative debris should be separated into one pile. Household items should be in another pile. The washer and dryer should be in a separate pile.”