How critical care, health services are operating during Moore County power outage
Thousands in Moore County remain without power Tuesday after two electrical substations were intentionally damaged Saturday evening.
The outages, which officials say could last until Thursday, also affect some critical care and health services, such as hospitals. One large medical facility is continuing to operate on backup power, and additional resources are available to provide food, shelter and charging to residents.
Here’s what to know about how the outages are affecting these services.
Moore hospitals rely on generators, partnerships
FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital — a 402-bed, acute care hospital in Pinehurst — is operating on a backup generator and has enough fuel to last “for several days,” with the ability to get more fuel as needed, said Gretchen Kelly, a spokesperson for the hospital.
The Clara McLean House, a hospitality house on the hospital’s campus, is also running on generator power. Local residents who need help charging their medical equipment are welcome to access the hospitality house for those needs, Kelly said. Community members who have general charging needs should look to shelter sites (listed at the bottom of this story).
FirstHealth is working with local pharmacies and medical device companies to provide support and resources for residents dependent on medical devices or who require oxygen, Kelly said.
Moore County’s transportation services are operating only for clients who have scheduled dialysis, chemotherapy and radiation treatment, the county website says.
DaVita Kidney Care — an international health care organization that treats over 200,000 dialysis patients worldwide — has four centers within Moore County’s outage area. DaVita has arranged treatment for all patients on their normal treatment days, though some have been sent to different treatment centers, said spokesperson Matthew Clyburn.
Two DaVita centers are running on emergency generator power, and another was closed Monday with the expectation to open Tuesday via generator power. When power outages strike, dialysis centers like DaVita adjust patient treatment schedules or shift patients to other treatment facilities until power is restored, Clyburn said.
Meals on Wheels of the Sandhills operating as normal
Meals on Wheels of the Sandhills planned to serve its meal routes as normal Monday, delivering food to about 75 people in the area, director Rebecca Listrom told The News & Observer in a phone interview.
The organization typically serves one hot, noontime meal per day to program participants, who are generally homebound. Food recipients are divided between nine delivery routes in the towns of Aberdeen, Pinebluff, Pinehurst and Southern Pines.
The organization’s kitchen has power, Listrom said. For Monday’s food deliveries, the organization planned to partner with a local church in Carthage to provide stew and fresh bread to program participants. The organization will resume cooking its own meals on Tuesday, and has volunteers ready to deliver the meals.
The organization also provides extra snacks and food to program participants on Thursdays, so residents may have some of those items left from last week, Listrom said — though those food items in the fall and winter tend to be canned or other non-perishable goods and may require power to fix complete meals.
Meals on Wheels of the Sandhills is independent from the national Meals on Wheels organization, Listrom said.
Free food in Moore County
Here’s where Moore County residents impacted by the power outage can get free meals on Tuesday, Dec. 6:
▪ Grace Church Southern Pines will have lunch, hot drinks and charging stations available on Tuesday from noon to 2 p.m. Located at 1519 Luther Way in Southern Pines.
▪ New Covenant Fellowship will provide soup and sandwiches on Tuesday beginning at noon. The church is located at 1305 Hulsey Road in Carthage.
▪ The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina will host a pop-up, no-cost food distribution at the old Aberdeen Elementary School from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tuesday. Please bring your own boxes or bags, if possible. The school is located at 503 N Sandhills Blvd in Aberdeen.
Moore County officials say those impacted by the power outage can pick up free meals Tuesday between 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. at the following locations:
Hillcrest Sports Complex, located at 155 Hillcrest Park Lane in Carthage. This will be an outside service managed by the Public Safety Commercial Kitchen Trailer.
Southern Pines Fire Station 82, located at 7850 NC Hwy 22 in Carthage. This will be an inside service managed in the commercial grade kitchen.
The old Aberdeen Elementary School, located at 503 N Sandhills Blvd. in Aberdeen. This will be a drive-thru service.
Shelters and warm buildings in Moore County
Here’s where Moore County residents impacted by the power outage can find shelter and warm buildings on Tuesday, Dec. 6:
▪ Moore County Sports Complex: Located at 155 Hillcrest Park Ln. in Carthage. The American Red Cross is on-site to assist those needing their services. If you need a ride to get to the shelter, call 910-847-6317.
▪ The Southern Pines Public Library: Located at 170 W Connecticut Ave. in Southern Pines. Will be open on Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to provide a warm building for the community. Charging stations will be available, along with snacks, warm drinks and board games. Typical library services are unavailable.
▪ The Lee County Main Library: Located at 107 Hawkins Ave. in Sanford. This library, in neighboring Lee County, will be open to Moore County residents for warming, electronic charging needs, using the internet and more. The library is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
▪ The Southern Pines Police Department: Located at 450 West Pennsylvania Ave. in Southern Pines. The Haney Community Room will remain open indefinitely, at all hours of the day, for community members to get out the cold and charge their devices. They ask for residents to let dispatch know they are using the room. The department can be reached at 910-692-2732.
Free charging stations in Moore County
Here’s where Moore County residents impacted by the power outage can find free charging stations on Tuesday, Dec. 6:
▪ Pinehurst Fire Station 91 will be open to the public to charge electronic devices every day this week from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Located at 405 Magnolia Road in Pinehurst.
▪ Roseland United Methodist Church will be open Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon for residents to charge electronics. Free internet and coffee will also be available. Located at 181 Roseridge Road in Aberdeen.
(Source: pinehurstmedical.com/resources)
