The convoy of Tevis Energy trucks deployed a week ago to Virginia and the Carolinas initially carrying almost 40,000 gallons of fuel, and the challenge is delivering as the flood waters continue to rise.
"This is what three or four of our roads look like,” one of the company’s managers reported back in a video on Facebook, “This is supposed to be State Route 1157 to North Carolina and this is what it looks like now," as the camera pans to a water-covered road.
From the company's base in Westminster, General Manager Bruce Spiridonoff is monitoring the crews' progress in the midst of the disaster.
"We run into situations,” said Spiridonoff, “Yesterday, we had a mechanic... we also sent a mechanic down... he and his manager were headed to help somebody out and what should have been a two-and-a-half-hour drive ended up becoming an eight-hour drive."
The company wants to make it clear this is not a relief mission.
It's business, but its success could be vital for emergency operations from top to bottom until the flood waters recede.
"We're supplying end use customers everywhere from the Department of Defense to personal service to diesel generators to just a little bit of everything,” explained Spiridonoff, “Wherever somebody needs fuel delivered, we're getting it to them---mostly diesel fuel and gasoline at this point."
While Tevis Energy’s workers are being paid, they signed up for the duty and it doesn't make the job any less dangerous.
"There was an official out here. They said that this whole thing is now a three-mile stretch," reported back the stalled crew as they looked for a way around the flooded highway.
Leaving behind their own families to help out those in the flood zone where it's needed the most.
"It's definitely hard on everybody. We're making sure that we're taking care of them,” said Spiridonoff, “It's completely volunteer. Anybody is willing to come home at any time. Just asked again this morning if anybody was ready and the consensus was 'Not yet. Let's keep going. We're strong and let’s see if we can help some people out."
In the last week alone, those two big tankers have run back-and-forth to refuel in Maryland and have now delivered almost a quarter of a million gallons to customers in the areas impacted by Florence.
