LONDON, Ky. — Nearly two weeks after an EF4 tornado tore through communities in Laurel County, Ky., killing 19 people, the Goshen-based American Regulators USA Disaster Response team spent Friday evening clearing trees and debris from properties in the hard-hit Sunshine Hills neighborhood.
For Board President Mark Fouts and the other volunteers, it marked the eighth straight day of work in the disaster zone.
"We're really not asking questions," Fouts said. "We're just jumping in."
WATCH: American Regulators USA works to help London bounce back
Fouts said the team has been living in a nearby firehouse alongside the Laurel County Rescue Team and spending their days delivering donated supplies, clearing debris, searching for homeowners' valuables, and providing emotional support for anyone in need.
Amy Rice said working with chainsaws is part of the job, but connecting with people on a human level is the most important aspect of their deployments.
“Talking to them, listening to them, being able to just let them tell their story. Let them speak, and just be silent,” she said.
The American Regulators USA group was founded in response to the tornado that devastated portions of Goshen in 2022. Rice has been helping respond to disasters in the greater Cincinnati area ever since.
"I was raised to love others," she said.
We previously covered the American Regulators' work responding to wind damage in Warren County and Clinton County, where a man was nearly killed when a tree fell through his kitchen.
Fouts said the Regulators would continue work in the tornado-ravaged areas of London through June 7 or 8 and will continue work elsewhere after that.
“Help this world clean up after disasters, and you know, there's been an uptick in recent disasters and we're seeing it more and more in the Midwest."
To do the work for free for those who need help, the American Regulators USA team relies on donations.
If you can help, you can find their donation page on their website by clicking here.
