Eastern Kentucky senator expects ‘unified response’ to flooding

PIKEVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) — Some eastern Kentucky leaders are pulling double duty, cleaning up a mess at home, and making sure others get help too. Pikeville Sen. Phillip Wheeler is one of many starting the week cleaning up and drying out.

“We’ve got an underground parking area. I mean, it got up about two feet inside,” Wheeler told FOX 56 on Monday morning from his Pikeville law office. “Worked to about 3:00 in the morning (Sunday) putting what files they could on shelves and stuff. And unfortunately, we didn’t get them all.”

The power was still out when he was cleaning up on Monday. In between managing the mess there, Wheeler said he’s also been on the phone trying to direct outside help to where it’s needed most.

“What I’ve been doing is contacting folks in Frankfort. We’ve had a lot of folks from central Kentucky that have reached out offering assistance, and so I’ve been trying to direct them to the EMS and other fire departments, other resources to where we can get those to folks that need it,” he said. “The Marrowbone area of Pike County, again, going towards Elkhorn City. It was hit very hard. I’ve got several friends up there that I was checking on as it was raining; I know at least one of them lost their home.”

He’s expecting several months of recovery for the area and said local school leaders are concerned about washed-out roads affecting student transportation. Wheeler speculated that schools could be out for the next week to ten days.

With the legislative session currently underway, Wheeler said East Kentucky lawmakers are swiftly preparing a legislative response in addition to whatever help comes from the federal government.

“I think you’re going to see a very unified response to get folks the help they need here,” he said.

That relief would most likely come in the form of an appropriation, which would be a process that begins in the House. A House spokesperson said there are several people working on the details of an emergency relief bill.

The deadline to file new legislation is this week.