Oral history interview with Richard H. Moore, August 2, 2002

Richard H. Moore, State Treasurer of North Carolina at the time of this interview, describes the impact of Hurricane Floyd on North Carolina, and the state's response to the crisis. When Hurricane Floyd brought horrendous flooding to North Carolina in 1999, Moore was the Secretary of Crime Control and Public Safety under Governor Jim Hunt. Moore describes his duties as the head of this department, noting that during times of emergency, he was in charge of distributing and managing both state and federal resources apportioned for relief. After briefly describing the hurricane and the flooding it caused, Moore discusses the state's response. Arguing that the impact of Hurricane Fran three years earlier had led to reorganization for better efficiency, Moore lauds the state's quick response, in part facilitated by the implementation of computers for communication. He describes the leadership role of Eric Tolbert, the Director of the Division of Emergency Management, and the evolution of that department during Moore's tenure. Moore offers his thoughts on the demographic changes and internal growth of the state that generated the need for a more systematic response to natural disasters. He describes the measures taken to ameliorate the destructive impact on housing, agriculture, and industry, including the implementation of a Federal Emergency Management Agency trailer park. Moore concludes the interview by responding to public criticism that relief had been too long delayed and that many of the flood's victims had fallen through the cracks.