For 11 years, Capt. Claudia Lima has risked her life saving others through her work at the White Cross Volunteer Fire Department.

The night of July 6, 2025 was no different, despite it being what Lima says was one of the greatest challenges in her career thus far. 

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Lima says she was at home when the first calls came in last Sunday evening about flooding in the area due to Tropical Depression Chantal. She immediately rushed to the station to gear up, not expecting to see what was ahead. 

“There was a lot of water in the roadway,” Lima said. “It felt like it was a river. I mean, you couldn't see the roads. You couldn't see the sidewalk.” 

Lima and her crew’s assignment that night was in the condo complex Camelot Village. WRAL News has covered the ongoing flooding problems in Camelot Village. 

“Once we started making it into Camelot Village, there were still people on the first floor coming out of windows and trying to open their doors,” says Lima. “There were people on the balcony just yelling for help.” 

Lima told WRAL News the experience was a “scary” one. 

“Their apartments were wrecked,” she said. “I mean there was water up to my waist in some apartments. We would get people out, get them in the boat. We would fit three to four people on the boat and then bring them out towards Estes Drive ankle deep where they could walk.” 

The captain says that process continued for hours, interrupted only by a devastating phone call. 

“My landlord actually called me and told me, ‘Hey, we're flooding, I need you to call me,’” Lima said. “I was like, ‘I'm in the middle of doing rescues, I can't call you. Let me send our deputy chief out there to check the house out, because I have a dog and the dog is at home.’ So, he told me that I was going to have some damage.” 

Lima says she arrived around 5:30 a.m. Monday, July 7, at her home off Old Greensboro Highway, shocked by what she saw. 

“The floors were wrecked,” Lima described “There was muddy water on the ground.

“The water had receded by that time, but I'm a very organized and very clean person, and my house was very much just, there was stuff everywhere. It was definitely not a good feeling. I felt my heart drop. I almost started crying, but knew that crying wasn't gonna fix it.” 

Lima said she moved in with her deputy chief and has been staying temporarily ever since. She said she will not be returning to her house.

Without insurance coverage, finances were her biggest concern. However, a GoFundMe page set up by White Cross Fire Chief Phillip Nasseri has alleviated much of that stress. 

“I put $4,000 as the goal,” Nasseri told WRAL News. “It passed that within 24 hours and within 72 hours, we probably tripled that goal.”

Nasseri is now asking for any additional funds to be donated to other victims in need. 

Lima said she is still waiting to hear back from Orange County about any potential disaster relief funding.