DANVILLE, Va. – After praying and putting on protective suits, volunteers from God's Pit Crew in Danville and the Baptist Association in Lynchburg got to work Tuesday gutting the lower level of a house on Jordan St.
"We just wanted to do what we could to help," God's Pit Crew CEO Randy Johnson said.
Vernell Morton lives in the house with her 95-year-old mother, who she helps care for.
Vernell's mother has dementia and Vernell has lymphoma.
"We were in the exercise room because I had just finished cleaning up from the last hurricane;Â I had just finished doing the last room. I turned around and looked and the water, within seconds, came to the top of the glass doors," Morton said, recalling the flooding last week.
Those glass doors were smashed and knocked out of their frame and were among the first few items removed from the house Tuesday.
Vernell said the water looked like Niagara Falls when it came rushing in.
"Within seconds, it was up to my shoulder. I'm trying to get out and I fell in the water and broke three bones," she explained.
She has a cast on her right arm and said she'll have to have surgery.
"I called God's Pit Crew. They have been gracious. They put us in a hotel," Vernell said. "I feel so inadequate that I can't do anything to help myself with this broken arm."
Johnson said the organization's resources are stretched thin right now, but that's not going to stop him from trying to respond to people in need, like Vernell.
"We have another one on Parkland Drive that we're going to try to help out with and continue to help as many as we can," Johnson said.
Volunteers also spent time Tuesday cutting up trees that had fallen on people's property.
If you would like to help God's Pit Crew, click here.
A storm damage hotline has been set up in Danville.
City residents can call and report damage to their property from last week's storm.
The number is 434-857-3375 extension 2498.
Leave your name, address, contact information, and a description of the damage and a city inspector will follow up with you.
This will help maximize the amount of money the city can potentially get from the federal government to help people recover from the storm.