“I was keeping an eye on the weather and figured they’d be needing some help,” said Captain Ben Mallard.
He was right.
Late Sunday night, the N.C. Emergency Management Division asked Raleigh Fire Department’s urban search and rescue team to go to Alamance County. Tropical Depression Chantal dumped up to 10 inches in some parts of the county.
“That water spilled out from creeks and was just ripping across streets and yards,” he described the flooding. “It was fast-moving for sure.”
Mallard, who has been a Raleigh firefighter for nearly 17 years, says not only do these kinds of calls get the adrenaline flowing, they make the heart feel good.
“We know there are plenty of departments who don’t have the equipment and resources we do. Or maybe they just need more hands to pitch in and offer support,” said Mallard. “It feels good to be able to help our neighbors when they need it most.”