WHEELING ­– Sometimes it’s the ones doing the rescuing who need assistance.

Many first responders who engaged in flood relief efforts on Sunday were first called out just after 8 p.m. Saturday when powerful flooding started in Ohio County, and they remained on the job more than 14 hours later on Sunday afternoon.

Those first responders were among countless others who reached out to help however they could Sunday as Elm Grove, Woodsdale, Triadelphia and Valley Grove began cleaning up from widespread destruction from those flood waters. Whether it was rescuing people from flooded homes, donating or coordinating items like clothing, food or cleaning products, or providing a nourishing meal for tired bodies, the Ohio Valley once again showed its ability to come together in crisis.

Ohio County EMS paramedic Austin Slie explained he actually started his shift Friday evening, but remanded on the job past the end of his shift on Saturday knowing he would be needed.

At about 2 p.m. Saturday, he was with other first responders pausing for a beverage or bite to eat at the temporary Ohio County Emergency Agency command center outside Riesbeck’s Food Market in Elm Grove.

“It’s a break,” he explained.

Like many others, Slie acknowledged he had gone home “for a couple of hours” to rest and shower before going back on duty.

Deputy G.J. Costello said he was called out to work Saturday when flooding began.

“But I would have come out anyway,” he said.

Among the food items donated for first responders were Jimmy Johns hoagies, Little Caesar’s pizza and Dunkin Donuts.

There was also some barbecue happening on site, and Gianna Landis was among the volunteers.

She spoke as she poured sauce over the chicken

Landis explained her father, Clint Landis, is a Wheeling firefighter who was working inside the command center.

And first responders weren’t the only ones taking a respite at the command center.

Some people were displaced, or were in need of food or water.

Volunteers helped with loading cases of water into cars that drove up so that recipients didn’t have to get out of their vehicle.

“It takes a village,” one of the many volunteers at Elm Grove Elementary School said Sunday as she helped direct a steady flow of donors dropping off needed items in the wake of this weekend’s devastating flash floods.

Elm Grove Elementary School served as a makeshift emergency shelter Saturday night while fleets of emergency crews from all over the Ohio Valley were still responding to high-water search and rescue situations in affected areas along Little Wheeling Creek and Big Wheeling Creek.

“We actually started Saturday night around 11 p.m. or 12 a.m. as a shelter,” Principal Richard Dunlevy said. “People started rolling in here after that throughout the night. I’d say that throughout the night, we had as many as 20 to 30 people seeking shelter here. We had plenty of volunteers who came to help out … and we had a lot of dogs here, too.”

Dunlevy said that by Sunday morning, most of the people who sought shelter at the school had been picked up, aside from a handful of people. The majority of individuals who ended up at the shelter either lost their house or could not get to their house because of high water or closed roads that left some areas inaccessible.

“They had no place to go,” Dunlevy said, noting that the elementary school was bustling with activity for much of the night. “At the same time, people were bringing in donations. The American Red Cross brought in cots, and we had people sleeping in here (Saturday) night. People were in and out throughout the night, but I would say five or six actually stayed the whole time.”

This week, Elm Grove Elementary School will remain a home base for the recovery and relief effort, but the focus has shifted as the response has transitioned from an emergency situation to primarily a cleanup.

“We’re going away from our shelter mode,” Dunlevy said. “The Salvation Army is going to be the shelter – they have shower facilities and all of that. We’re going to be here strictly as a donation and distribution center.”

According to Dunlevy, the emergency supply distribution center at Elm Grove Elementary School is in need of specific items.

“We’re good clothing wise,” he said. “We need cleaning material. We need things like pet supplies, squeegees, shovels – that kind of stuff, we need. We’ve got a lot of paper towels and we’ve got water. We’ve got a lot of bleach.”

Through this week, Elm Grove Elementary School will be open to take or distribute donations from 8 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday, Dunlevy said.

“People can drop stuff off to donate or people who need stuff can come pick up stuff,” he said. “Our Ohio County Schools Giving Tree – which is located at the Triadelphia Middle School Annex – that’s going to be open from 10 a.m. to noon (Monday). There’s a lot of clothes in there for any families – they can come get clothing or anything like that at the Giving Tree.”

Volunteers from a variety of local organizations – from Catholic Charities to the American Red Cross – worked Sunday alongside a myriad of volunteers who were not part of any organization. Several groups of people simply took it upon themselves to gather and deliver food, water and various supplies to those affected by the severe flooding.

Citizens on all-terrain vehicles and in trucks delivered goods and needed items to emergency workers, as well, and volunteers brought loads of pet supplies to the Ohio County Shelter and to Elm Grove Elementary School.

Over at the American Legion Post 1 headquarters, Chef Adam Luiso of Chef N Company, friends and family members were busy chopping vegetables and preparing beef and chicken. Starting at 5 p.m. Monday, Luiso will host a hot meal for anyone in need – first responders, families and community members facing tough times.

“We woke up (Sunday) and saw all the articles in the news and everything on Facebook and we just decided that people needed help,” Luiso said. “This community always comes together really well whenever people do need help, so we thought we would try to help as many people and feed them as we possibly can.”

By Sunday evening, Luiso had 50 pounds of beef in the oven and another 150 pounds on the smoker getting ready for Monday’s meal.

“We’re trying to do simple, nourishing things that will keep people full and provide them with the nutrition they need to get through this awful time,” he said.

The Soup Kitchen of Greater Wheeling is also collecting donated items for flood victims. Items include bottled water, bread, lunch meats, fruit cups, small bags of chips, granola bars, baby wipes and disinfectant wipes, cleaning supplies and other shelf-stable and ready-to-eat items. The soup kitchen will be collecting those items from 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. every day this week.

WHEELING ­– Sometimes it’s the ones doing the rescuing who need assistance.

Many first responders who engaged in flood relief efforts on Sunday were first called out just after 8 p.m. Saturday when powerful flooding started in Ohio County, and they remained on the job more than 14 hours later on Sunday afternoon.

Those first responders were among countless others who reached out to help however they could Sunday as Elm Grove, Woodsdale, Triadelphia and Valley Grove began cleaning up from widespread destruction from those flood waters. Whether it was rescuing people from flooded homes, donating or coordinating items like clothing, food or cleaning products, or providing a nourishing meal for tired bodies, the Ohio Valley once again showed its ability to come together in crisis.

Ohio County EMS paramedic Austin Slie explained he actually started his shift Friday evening, but remanded on the job past the end of his shift on Saturday knowing he would be needed.

At about 2 p.m. Saturday, he was with other first responders pausing for a beverage or bite to eat at the temporary Ohio County Emergency Agency command center outside Riesbeck’s Food Market in Elm Grove.

“It’s a break,” he explained.

Like many others, Slie acknowledged he had gone home “for a couple of hours” to rest and shower before going back on duty.

Deputy G.J. Costello said he was called out to work Saturday when flooding began.

“But I would have come out anyway,” he said.

Among the food items donated for first responders were Jimmy Johns hoagies, Little Caesar’s pizza and Dunkin Donuts.

There was also some barbecue happening on site, and Gianna Landis was among the volunteers.

She spoke as she poured sauce over the chicken

Landis explained her father, Clint Landis, is a Wheeling firefighter who was working inside the command center.

And first responders weren’t the only ones taking a respite at the command center.

Some people were displaced, or were in need of food or water.

Volunteers helped with loading cases of water into cars that drove up so that recipients didn’t have to get out of their vehicle.

“It takes a village,” one of the many volunteers at Elm Grove Elementary School said Sunday as she helped direct a steady flow of donors dropping off needed items in the wake of this weekend’s devastating flash floods.

Elm Grove Elementary School served as a makeshift emergency shelter Saturday night while fleets of emergency crews from all over the Ohio Valley were still responding to high-water search and rescue situations in affected areas along Little Wheeling Creek and Big Wheeling Creek.

“We actually started Saturday night around 11 p.m. or 12 a.m. as a shelter,” Principal Richard Dunlevy said. “People started rolling in here after that throughout the night. I’d say that throughout the night, we had as many as 20 to 30 people seeking shelter here. We had plenty of volunteers who came to help out … and we had a lot of dogs here, too.”

Dunlevy said that by Sunday morning, most of the people who sought shelter at the school had been picked up, aside from a handful of people. The majority of individuals who ended up at the shelter either lost their house or could not get to their house because of high water or closed roads that left some areas inaccessible.

“They had no place to go,” Dunlevy said, noting that the elementary school was bustling with activity for much of the night. “At the same time, people were bringing in donations. The American Red Cross brought in cots, and we had people sleeping in here (Saturday) night. People were in and out throughout the night, but I would say five or six actually stayed the whole time.”

This week, Elm Grove Elementary School will remain a home base for the recovery and relief effort, but the focus has shifted as the response has transitioned from an emergency situation to primarily a cleanup.

“We’re going away from our shelter mode,” Dunlevy said. “The Salvation Army is going to be the shelter – they have shower facilities and all of that. We’re going to be here strictly as a donation and distribution center.”

According to Dunlevy, the emergency supply distribution center at Elm Grove Elementary School is in need of specific items.

“We’re good clothing wise,” he said. “We need cleaning material. We need things like pet supplies, squeegees, shovels – that kind of stuff, we need. We’ve got a lot of paper towels and we’ve got water. We’ve got a lot of bleach.”

Through this week, Elm Grove Elementary School will be open to take or distribute donations from 8 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday, Dunlevy said.

“People can drop stuff off to donate or people who need stuff can come pick up stuff,” he said. “Our Ohio County Schools Giving Tree – which is located at the Triadelphia Middle School Annex – that’s going to be open from 10 a.m. to noon (Monday). There’s a lot of clothes in there for any families – they can come get clothing or anything like that at the Giving Tree.”

Volunteers from a variety of local organizations – from Catholic Charities to the American Red Cross – worked Sunday alongside a myriad of volunteers who were not part of any organization. Several groups of people simply took it upon themselves to gather and deliver food, water and various supplies to those affected by the severe flooding.

Citizens on all-terrain vehicles and in trucks delivered goods and needed items to emergency workers, as well, and volunteers brought loads of pet supplies to the Ohio County Shelter and to Elm Grove Elementary School.

Over at the American Legion Post 1 headquarters, Chef Adam Luiso of Chef N Company, friends and family members were busy chopping vegetables and preparing beef and chicken. Starting at 5 p.m. Monday, Luiso will host a hot meal for anyone in need – first responders, families and community members facing tough times.

“We woke up (Sunday) and saw all the articles in the news and everything on Facebook and we just decided that people needed help,” Luiso said. “This community always comes together really well whenever people do need help, so we thought we would try to help as many people and feed them as we possibly can.”

By Sunday evening, Luiso had 50 pounds of beef in the oven and another 150 pounds on the smoker getting ready for Monday’s meal.

“We’re trying to do simple, nourishing things that will keep people full and provide them with the nutrition they need to get through this awful time,” he said.

The Soup Kitchen of Greater Wheeling is also collecting donated items for flood victims. Items include bottled water, bread, lunch meats, fruit cups, small bags of chips, granola bars, baby wipes and disinfectant wipes, cleaning supplies and other shelf-stable and ready-to-eat items. The soup kitchen will be collecting those items from 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. every day this week.