Shelter, food, charging ports: Here’s where to find help in Moore County power outage

Parts of Moore County remained without power Monday after intentional damage to two substations cut off electricity to more than 30,000 residents.

Officials in the county estimate power could be off until Thursday, and on Sunday afternoon, they declared a state of emergency with a curfew taking effect from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

The FBI and State Bureau of Investigation have joined the county’s law enforcement to investigate the outage that was caused by firearms to the substations in what officials have called “intentional” damage on Saturday night.

Moore County residents left in the dark for most of the week are being encouraged by officials to conserve gas, check on neighbors and take advantage of resources available for help.

Here’s where you can get assistance for medical needs, charging stations, food and shelter.

Medical assistance and transportation

Moore County’s transportation services are operating only for clients who have scheduled dialysis, chemotherapy and radiation treatment, the county website says. All other Moore County operations are canceled for Monday with plans of limited coverage on Tuesday.

For assistance for deaf, hard-of-hearing or blind residents, call 1-800-735-2962.

FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital 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, non-medical charging needs should look to shelter sites in the community.

Shelters and warm buildings in Moore County

▪ 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 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.

Where to get food or snacks in Moore County

▪ Robbins First Baptist Church will hand out free hot dogs beginning at 4 p.m. Monday at their church. Located at 651 Hemp St. in Robbins. You can call 910-944-2768 for assistance.

Free charging stations and WiFi in Moore County

▪ 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.

▪ The Pinebluff Fire and Rescue is also open for charging electronics beginning at 10 a.m. Monday. They will have free water available, too. Located at 580 S. Walnut St. in Pinebluff.

▪ The Southern Pines ACE Hardware will be open with or without power on Monday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Located at 215 Capital Dr. in Whispering Pines. (Note: The store will not be able to fill propane tanks if it is without power.)

▪ Rockfish Church will open Monday at noon to provide a warm space to relax and charge devices. Located at 16433 U.S. Hwy 15 501 in Aberdeen.

▪ Creekside Community Church will be open starting at 8:30 a.m. Monday, with WiFi and heat available for people who need to work remotely. Some private rooms are also available on a first-come, first-served basis. Located at 2280 Nicholson Road in Cameron.

▪ Aberdeen Fire and Rescue will be open to the public Monday with charging available. Located at 800 Holly St. in Aberdeen.

▪ New Covenant Fellowship will be open Monday, providing hot water, WiFi, charging, showers and a functioning kitchen available to prepare meals. Located at 1305 Hulsey Road in Carthage.

▪ Eagle Springs Baptist Church will be open Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with WiFi and charging available. They’ll also offer hot coffee. Located at 460 Eagle Springs Road in Eagle Springs.

(Source: pinehurstmedical.com/resources)

This story will be updated continuously with more resources.