JACKSON, Ky. — When disaster strikes, that’s where you’ll find Richard Dorminey.
“I’m from Florida, I currently work and live in Illinois and I’ve done search and rescue in Waverly, Tennessee and Lafayette, Louisiana,” Dorminey said.
In the last two years, Dorminey has helped out after disasters across the country. So after seeing the devastation of the deadly flash floods in Eastern Kentucky, it was no different.
“It’s been very humbling. Whenever you get in places like this with these people, you bond with them, you go through these emotions together,” Dorminey said. “It gives you the drive to keep coming out.”
Dorminey made the seven-hour trip from Illinois to do what he does best — lend a helping hand. Dorminey has volunteered with search and rescue and disaster relief ranging from Mayfield, Kentucky to Hurricane Ida and the tornadoes in Michigan.
It is especially helpful to Jackson residents like Becky Miller, who has called Jackson since 1975. The only way to get to her home now is by boat.
“Never seen it this high before,” Miller said. “We got flooded last year and lost everything we had. And we got this trailer back and just got set up during the last year and was getting lined out good. And now the flood waters struck us again.”
Miles of roads and homes are still swallowed up by floodwaters, but Dorminey continues to find ways to help those in need.
Like Danny Fugate and his family who braved the storm. The family has no way out because of the high floodwaters.
“Well, this is our home. We can’t go anywhere,” Fugate said. “I mean where are you going to go when you leave here? You’re going to have to go to a hotel or something like that. I would’ve stayed here even if it got in my home. I would’ve stayed if I wasn’t going anywhere.”
16 people have died according to Gov. Beshear’s latest update on the flooding in Eastern Kentucky.