BARDSTOWN, Ky. — Bardstown Pilot Savana Barnes spent the last week in-and-out of North Carolina airstrips, bringing baby formula, basic necessities and medical supplies to flooding victims.
"This here is Bonnie, she's an A36," Barnes explained, climbing onto the Bonanza aircraft. When she flew Bonnie into Asheville, at least twenty other planes like hers brought in supplies. Just as many military helicopters roamed the airstrip, flying out for rescues.
Below the plane, widespread flooding washed out roads, homes and power lines.
"An ocean came through there, basically," Barnes described it.
Barnes packed in about 450 pounds of necessities on each of her supply drops spending $10,000 pitched in from her Nelson County neighbors.
"So it definitely took a community to get everything there," Barnes said. "We weren't doing this for the acknowledgement or the fame. We were doing this because people needed it... I would want someone to do it for us. And I feel like they would."
And outside Bardstown, 17 firefighters from Jefferson County left Monday afternoon for Tallahassee, Florida. The state requested them ahead of Hurricane Milton. Okolona and Fern Creek Fire hauled down lifeboats. Anchorage Middletown Fire and EMS spoke for the special rescue crew.
"In Jefferson County, we're very fortunate to have the resources and the people and the equipment to send. So when we received the request and once we were able to get people together, it was a no brainer," Jordan Yuodis said.
It's a no brainer for Barnes as well.
"We'll do it again," she said with a perky laugh, "and keep on going."
That's because Bonnie's ready to fly wherever she's needed. Despite two hurricanes in as many weeks, Kentuckiana's still bringing relief—and hope.
Civilian Crisis Response Team, a non-profit in Indiana, organized the trips for Barnes.
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