Water distributed to East Palestine residents
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EAST PALESTINE -- The Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley distributed cases of bottled water to East Palestine residents in the parking lot of T&M Hardware and Rental Friday.
"We know that the test results have shown the water is safe and we have no reason to doubt that; however, as residents return home, they have so many things to deal with and so many questions. If we can provide them water its simply one less thing for them to be concerned about," said Second Harvest Food Bank Director of Operations Kim Brock.
Any residents who wanted was welcome to receive two cases of 40 bottles of water each, with the option to also receive a case of assorted pop while supplies lasted. While there was only a limited supply of pop to distribute, the same was not true of the water.
While Second Harvest Food Bank Executive Director Michael Iberis said due to weight limits only six pallets of water could be loaded on each truck. The food bank had a small fleet of trucks to ensure there was no risk of running out of water to distribute to those in need.
Iberis said that the food bank had been collaborating with The Way Station since the derailment, providing them with food to be distributed to displaced residents, and that he and the food bank were "very thankful" for their collaboration. Iberis praised the role they played in making sure resources were distributed to those most in need, saying that "they truly deserve to be recognized for all the work they did."
Through this partnership the food bank was able to monitor what community members were most frequently requesting, and found that many residents had been requesting bottled water, as they had reservations about the village water despite repeated assurances it was safe. Iberis also said many residents who depend on private wells for their water were still waiting for them to be tested before resuming use.
"We understand the water is safe, and we have no reason to doubt the official's word; however, for all those who still have concerns, we're here, and will be for the foreseeable future," said Iberis.
Iberis said the food bank had been working with the village government to best determine when they will be needed by the community, and that the food bank was committed to be in the community "every day if needed, for as long as we need to be."
Brock and Iberis also said that part of this commitment to the village was to meet the needs of residents as they develop and change moving forward.
"As we become aware of the needs of the community, we will adjust accordingly to make sure they are met," said Brock.
That need was certainly on display, as Iberis estimated in the roughly hour and a half since they had arrived and set up for distribution that they had served around 150 cars, with nearly three hours of distribution still planned for the day.
Iberis said that he had been floored by the outpouring of support for the community since the accident, noting that they had been receiving calls from people wanting to donate nationwide. Iberis also credited Ohio State Senator Michael Rulli as a major supporter of their ongoing relief efforts and of the community.
"Our thanks go out to Senator Rulli for all of his support. He has been a tremendous supporter, and advocate for residents," said Iberis.
Iberis and Brock praised the village administration for all the hard work they've been doing to take care of residents and respond to the derailment. Brock, an East Palestine resident herself, said she "was very pleased with how the officials have been handling the situation."
Brock said that she and her family had been using a mixture of bottled and village water since returning home.
"We've been drinking a lot of bottled water for the convenience, but we use village water in our cooking and some in making coffee," said Brock.
One resident receiving water, who wished to remain anonymous, said that while she had not yet drunk the water herself, she had no reason to doubt its safety.
"You have to trust the professionals to know what they're talking about," said the resident.
East Palestine Resident Jerry Barber, who had to evacuate with his four dogs, hasn't been particularly bothered by the questions of water safety. Barber said that he and the rest of the residents on his street had their water trucked in every Monday and stored in a 50-gallon tank.
Barber said neither he nor his dogs have been experiencing any ill effects since returning home, and that he hasn't noticed any smell as reported by other residents. Barber also said that he felt the situation had been handled fairly well overall.
However, he did take issue with the response given to him by a Norfolk Southern representative when he asked if there was any danger of his dogs getting sick due to exposure to any released chemical when let into his backyard. Barber said that the representative had equated any potential illness or death from exposure to his dog being hit by a car after being let outside.
"He said if you let your dog out and someone hit it with their car, would you sue them? I felt that wasn't very appropriate," said Barber.
mahart@mojonews.com