Samaritan’s Purse Chief Operating Officer Edward Graham told Newsmax on Friday that the ongoing relief efforts in North Carolina are the most challenging, given the number of staff members who have lost their own homes in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
But amid their own grief, Graham, the grandson of the late Billy Graham, told “The Record With Greta Van Susteren” that the organization, headed by his father, Franklin Graham, is carrying out a multistate relief effort, including what likely is the “largest civilian air operation response in history” in North Carolina.
Edward Graham said Samaritan’s Purse is operating relief efforts in three different Florida locations alone in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, but that Hurricane Helene hit close to home for many providing relief.
“We've had staff members that have lost their homes. Matter of fact, one of them I just saw in town … he's still recovering, you know, just emotionally. … They had a mudslide, hit their house, and it knocked it off its foundation,” Graham said. “But we've had others that were in our staff that were completely washed out. Or you can't get to their houses anymore because of the washouts there. So it's hard to respond and get to these communities when your own staff is hurting.”
Graham detailed the “massive helicopter operation” in North Carolina that most often is deployed internationally.
“It is probably the largest civilian air operation response in history, and we've assembled these helicopters and we're taking relief supplies to these rural parts of North Carolina that need it,” Graham said.
“We have our own 407 that we normally use in the Caribbean after hurricanes down there. And that's a Bell helicopter. It's a great helicopter. I was using that the first day. But we also have a lot of NASCAR team owners here. And they've offered up their helicopters from the start,” Graham said of the air operation.
“There's been a lot of civilian, just pro-bono helicopters coming down. But we've also leased a Blackhawk and then the U.S. Army has helped us with [Chinook] CH-47s. I think we're over somewhere 160 air operations already with this storm,” he added. “And a good portion of these are the CH-47s where I can deliver large quantities of fuel and generators. We've sent out over 1,000 generators already, trying to send another 1,000 out in the next two days."
“We're basically like an Amazon for emergency equipment right now,” Graham said.
About NEWSMAX TV:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!
- Find Newsmax channel in your home via cable and satellite systems – More Info Here
- Watch Newsmax+ on your home TV app or smartphone and watch it anywhere! Try it for FREE – See More Here: NewsmaxPlus.com
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.