MASONTOWN, W.Va. — A five-member team of volunteers from Preston County saw something familiar when they responded to southern West Virginia for flood rescue work.
Masontown Volunteer Fire Department Chief Dan Luzier was with the department when local rivers and streams reached historic levels in 1985.
“It’s exactly what it reminded me of because, living in Preston County, we dealt with that first-hand. I was in the department then,” Luzier told WAJR upon his return from Greenbrier County. “I saw areas that I flashed back to exactly like it was then.”
Thursday evening the department’s water rescue team loaded up with gear and a rehab trailer headed for Greenbrier County.
Even with experience in similar disasters, Luzier described a scene that is almost hard to comprehend.
“It was simply amazing the amount of rain they received down there in a small period of time. The amount of damage and the area it covered was amazing.”
Working through the night, Luzier said Masontown volunteers led 9 water rescues getting 17 people and 7 animals to safety.
“Most of them were in their homes up on the second floor. We did have one couple that was in their attic as high as they could get,” Luzier recalled.
Lewisburg, Caldwell and especially Rainelle were unrecognizable as towns.
“The one town is totally wiped out. Every business, every apartment, every house. They need a lot of prayers. And, they’re going to need a little bit of everything,” the chief said.