June 1, 2017 AARP Article - NC 2-1-1
Need Some Help? Call NC 2-1-1
Posted on 06/1/2017 by TheAARPBulletin | AARP North Carolina
Laura Marx, president and CEO of United Way of North Carolina,
said having NC 2-1-1 was "huge” during Hurricane
Matthew. Photo by D.L. Anderson
By Sue Price Johnson
Hours after Hurricane Matthew drenched eastern North Carolina last year, a panicked caller searched for help escaping the
floodwaters racing toward his rural home. The local 911 system was overloaded, so he called NC 2-1-1, whose specialists
were able to coordinate the rescue through the local emergency management system.
“It was between 1 and 4 in the morning,” said Janay, an information and referral specialist who asked that her last name not be used because of agency policy. The caller told her the water had never been so high. In the background, Janay heard what sounded like a rushing river and an anxious woman calling out that the water was getting higher.
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