With the city in ruins following flooding from Hurricane Floyd, September 1999 was a dismal time for Rocky Mount.

"There were untold damages to public property – it was a disaster unlike any other," said Rocky Mount Fire Chief Keith Harris.

Telegram file photo (ENLARGE)

Mayor Fred Turnage, left, listens as the Rev. Jesse Jackson speaks at a press conference at Ebenezer Baptist Church after the 1999 flood.

Telegram file photo (ENLARGE)

Tipper Gore visited the Twin Counties during the recovery process following the flood of 1999. Gore hugs a young girl while Rocky Mount Mayor Fred Turnage, right, and former N.C. Secretary of Crime Control and Public Safety Richard Moore, second from right, look on.

As a result of the Tar River cresting more than 32 feet, 8 percent of the city was flooded; 1,000 structures were destroyed; and damage was estimated at $400 million. Hundreds of residents were evacuated from their homes.

For Fred Turnage, the disaster would prove to be the defining moment in his 34 years as Rocky Mount's mayor.

"He was very much aware of what was transpiring," City Manager Steve Raper said. "It was a very emotional and stressful experience for folks who lost homes."

Harris, then an assistant fire chief, and Raper recalled that during the initial days of the flood on Sept. 15 and 16, Turnage was in the city's emergency operations center assisting officials.

"He was there simply to find out how the hurricane would affect the city," Harris said.

In the days to come, Turnage would oversee operations that included the rescue of more than 500 residents from their homes.

From initial evacuation operations to aiding city officials in obtaining more than $117 million in relief funding, Turnage helped in every way he could, Raper said.

"He brings a feeling of stability and self-assurance," Raper said. "He is a person who endeavors to provide whatever support he can provide. You knew he was always there."

The hundreds of displaced residents left without shelter and other necessities were directed to American Red Cross service centers.

Rosalie Lemieux, retired former executive director of the Twin Rivers Chapter of the American Red Cross, said Turnage could be seen visiting the centers and talking with victims daily.

"He visited the service centers and checked in with us many times to see how things were going," she said. "He made every asset the city had available."

Lemieux was executive director of the chapter for 29 years, retiring in 2003.

RECOVERY

Harris said one event that had a significant impact was Turnage volunteering to board a military helicopter to survey the city's damage.

In hurried preparation, Harris was charged with escorting Turnage to Rocky Mount-Wilson Airport, where an N.C. National Guard helicopter was waiting. While en route, Harris said Turnage was talkative and maintaining a positive outlook.

However, when he returned from the flyover, there was a noticeable change, Harris said.

"There was this change in him because of what he had seen," he said. "He saw how enormous the devastation was. He said to me, 'Keith, it's incredible; it's unlike anything I've seen.'"

Harris said that the ride back to the city building was quiet.

"It really put it into perspective," Harris said. "We knew that we had our work cut out."

As the floodwaters receded, the city was faced with cleaning up debris and demolishing ravaged houses and city structures.

To get a better grasp on the endeavor that lay ahead, city officials and Turnage visited Grand Forks, N.D., a city that was ravaged by flooding and fire in 1997.

A delegation of city officials led by Turnage met with Grand Forks officials to seek information on recovery.

"The message was that this is going to take five to 10 years to recover from," Harris said.

During this time, public meetings were held at First Baptist Church to inform residents. Raper said in most cases, Turnage was at the forefront directly speaking to residents.

"He was always there and always available," he said. "He represented the determination of this community to build back better than ever through his persistence and strong leadership."

Harris was assigned to head the Hazard Mitigation Program, the city's housing buyout program that focused on clearing damaged properties. For four years, Rocky Mount worked to clear afflicted areas.

"He was confident in our attributes," Harris said. "He never missed an opportunity to thank us. He displayed a lot of confidence in the city's staff. That's something I'll never forget."

Turnage said the city had a good relationship with the Federal Emergency Management Agency during the flood.

"The FEMA people were excellent," Turnage said. "The buyout program went extremely smoothly."

Turnage also commented on the city staff throughout the process.

"The city staff did an excellent job," he said. "And, there was a spirit of cooperation and the way people came together."

Eddie Baysden, chief executive officer of the Rocky Mount Chamber of Commerce, a longtime friend who first met Turnage in his youth as a freshman at Wake Forest College, said that in the years following the flood, the city has improved because of Turnage's vision.

"There was no leader at the time and place that would be of Fred Turnage's equal," Baysden said.

Baysden said although he was not at the chamber during the flood, he has witnessed the outcome of Turnage's efforts. Such facilities as the Imperial Centre, the train station and other ongoing projects have brought rejuvenation to the city, he said.

"In the last five-year window of time, I know of no city that has come back in such a grand manner," Baysden said. "We are being featured in magazines. I think it's so fitting that there's such a positive feeling amongst most of our community. I attribute that to Fred Turnage's leadership."