WEATHER

Team Rubicon Volunteers Return To Utah After Hurricane Clean-Up Work

Oct 21, 2018, 9:41 AM | Updated: Oct 22, 2018, 8:09 am

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Team Rubicon volunteers from Utah have returned from a weeklong assignment to the Carolinas to help with cleanup efforts from Hurricane Florence.

Team Rubicon Utah State Administrator Bob Toth said 15 volunteers from Utah went to various places in the Carolinas that were flooded when the hurricane hit in September.

Toth said they were surprised by how little cleanup work had been done before they arrived.

“You would go into somebody’s house and it had been sitting like that for three weeks. They hadn’t even had a chance to get in there to do anything. That was the thing that really blew me away,” he said.

Toth spent a week in Lumberton, North Carolina. Teams helped clear homes out and do demolition work. He said without the volunteers the work might have cost people thousands of dollars.

A lot of the people, Toth said, had no flood insurance and not a lot of money to pay out of pocket.

“This area, the average annual income is $29,000,” he said.

Even through all that had happened to them, Toth said people tried to keep their spirits up. He mentioned a 76-year-old woman who said, “Well, it took two hurricanes for me to finally realize that I need to whittle my stuff down.”

“The resiliency of the human spirit is always what gets me,” Toth said.

As Toth settles in back to daily life here in Utah, he still thinks about the people back in North Carolina and whomever it is they will help next.

“You’re always waiting for the next one,” Toth said. “Once you kind of get that bug, you want to keep going.”

Toth said Team Rubicon volunteers were getting called out more frequently thanks to extreme weather. He would like to see more volunteers in Utah as they anticipate more assignments.

“We’ve seen lots of burn scars. We know that there’s going to be some flood mitigation down the road. There’s definitely going to be some fire mitigation that we’re going to get involved with,” he said.

 

KSL 5 TV Live

Weather

A UDOT snowplow clears the road in Big Cottonwood Canyon on Feb. 9. Up to 2 feet of snow or more is...

Carter Williams, KSL.com

Rain, snow to impact many parts of Utah throughout Easter weekend

It might be spring, but winter weather remains in Utah's forecast for Easter weekend as the end of the traditional snowpack collection period nears.

3 hours ago

Man sneezing because of seasonal allergies...

Katia Hetter, CNN

Are allergies making you feel sick? Here’s how to find out

Sniffling a bit more than usual? Welcome to spring allergy season in the Northern Hemisphere. Even if you don’t think you have allergies, it’s worth paying attention to those sniffles.

22 hours ago

The Utah Department of Transportation announced Sunday that state Route 210 would be closed for ava...

Mary Culbertson and Brianna Chavez

WEATHER ALERT: Slippery roads and ‘thundersnow’ projected; UHP urging drivers to use caution

Salt Lake City awoke to dangerous road conditions on Sunday after Utah Highway Patrol reported multiple crashes. Continued precipitation off and on is expected on Sunday.

4 days ago

uprooted Brighan City tree...

Karah Brackin and Cary Schwanitz, KSL TV

Northern Utah blasted with high winds

The anticipated high winds blew through Utah overnight Thursday, hitting the northern part of the state with gusts nearly 90 mph.

13 days ago

Strong winds continued to batter the Wasatch Front Thursday, March 14, 2024. (Alex Cabrero, KSL TV)...

Shara Park

WEATHER ALERT: Strong, cold winds batter parts of Wasatch Front

Strong winds continue to batter the Wasatch Front Thursday, whipping bitter cold temperatures through South Weber.

14 days ago

A tree was uprooted in a major wind event in 2023...

Larry D. Curtis and Cary Schwanitz, KSL TV

WEATHER ALERT: Potentially damaging and dangerous winds to blow into Wasatch Front

A winter storm that brought more snow to Utah Tuesday night has passed through Utah and will now be followed by a major blast of wind.

15 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Women hold card for scanning key card to access Photocopier Security system concept...

Les Olson

Why Printer Security Should Be Top of Mind for Your Business

Connected printers have vulnerable endpoints that are an easy target for cyber thieves. Protect your business with these tips.

Modern chandelier hanging from a white slanted ceiling with windows in the backgruond...

Lighting Design

Light Up Your Home With These Top Lighting Trends for 2024

Check out the latest lighting design trends for 2024 and tips on how you can incorporate them into your home.

Technician woman fixing hardware of desktop computer. Close up....

PC Laptops

Tips for Hassle-Free Computer Repairs

Experiencing a glitch in your computer can be frustrating, but with these tips you can have your computer repaired without the stress.

Close up of finger on keyboard button with number 11 logo...

PC Laptops

7 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Laptop to Windows 11

Explore the benefits of upgrading to Windows 11 for a smoother, more secure, and feature-packed computing experience.

Stylish room interior with beautiful Christmas tree and decorative fireplace...

Lighting Design

Create a Festive Home with Our Easy-to-Follow Holiday Prep Guide

Get ready for festive celebrations! Discover expert tips to prepare your home for the holidays, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for unforgettable moments.

Battery low message on mobile device screen. Internet and technology concept...

PC Laptops

9 Tips to Get More Power Out of Your Laptop Battery

Get more power out of your laptop battery and help it last longer by implementing some of these tips from our guide.

Team Rubicon Volunteers Return To Utah After Hurricane Clean-Up Work