ROGERS, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Sheep Dog Impact Assistance is preparing to help people in Florida after Category 4 Hurricane Helene hit Thursday night.
The local organization spent Friday packing tools into trailers that will accompany them on their mission.
“We’re looking to take the essentials. Our first aid kit is very important. We always bring extra fuel tanks in a situation like this, we don’t know if gas stations are going to be open. And fuel is very important to us for not only our trucks, but our gear,” John Parker, marketing manager with Sheep Dog Impact Assistance, said.
There’s also protective equipment, cots, sleeping bags, and small necessities like gloves and bug spray.
Hurricane Helene is one of the largest storms in the Gulf of Mexico in the last century, damaging homes and causing severe flooding and debris.
“It’s going to be a lot of maybe mucking out houses or buildings that have been damaged by water. It’s going to be a lot of debris removal. We’ve got our chainsaws ready to go, but it’s also going to be helping any way we can,” Parker said. “So we’ll go down there, we’ll link up with first responders and FEMA and other organizations and ask them how we can be most effective.”