Specially for IFN

RALEIGH – A wide range of relief supplies continue to flow into Western North Carolina to aid in the recovery from Hurricane Helene.

More than 1,500 North Carolina National Guard personnel working in Western NC are supported by Soldiers from the 18th Airborne Corps headquartered at Fort Liberty. These soldiers work with NCDOT to assist in clearing roads and with county emergency managers in distributing supplies. Soldiers also assist in search and rescue and air traffic control, guiding the large number of aircraft flying relief missions over the western provinces.

The US Army Corps of Engineers helps assess water and wastewater facilities and dams

More than $27 million in FEMA Individual Assistance funds have been paid out to survivors of the Western NC disaster to date and more than 83,000 people have signed up for Individual Assistance. Nearly 1,400 people are now housed in hotels through FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance.

More than 755 FEMA personnel are on site to assist with relief efforts in western North Carolina. In addition to search and rescue and delivering supplies, they meet with disaster survivors in shelters and neighborhoods to provide quick access to emergency resources.

More than 1,100 first responders from 34 states are supporting response and recovery efforts through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). This includes public health nurses, emergency management teams supporting local governments, veterinarians, sniffer dog teams and more.

“Resources from across the country are working to assist Western North Carolina’s storm response and recovery,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “We are grateful for the assistance supporting the thousands of our first responders in North Carolina.”

The Governor issued an executive order that increases the capacity of health care personnel to respond to Helene by making it easier for health care professionals licensed in other states, recent retirees, and others with the necessary skills to assist in the response and recovery of North Carolina. In addition, the order authorizes the state health director to issue standing orders for emergency medication and authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to modify or waive vital record replacement fees.

Beware of misinformation

North Carolina Emergency Management and local officials are warning the public about false Helene reports and misinformation being shared on social media. NCEM has one web page about facts versus rumors to provide factual information in the aftermath of this storm. FEMA also maintains one rumor response web page.

Distribution points for food, water and raw materials

Efforts to provide food, water and basic necessities to residents of affected communities continue, utilizing both ground sources and air drops from the NC National Guard. More than 97,000 hot meals have been prepared and served by mobile kitchens and a further 25,000 are expected to be served on Saturday.

Food, water and resource distribution points have opened throughout Western North Carolina. For information about these sites in your community, check your local social media and government websites, or visit ncdps.gov/Helene.

Distribution points for raw materials have been set up in every affected province. Many of these locations also offer free public Wi-Fi to area residents. Check with local authorities for the most current location in your province.

Power outage

Across Western North Carolina, about 173,000 customers are without power as of 11:30 a.m., down from a peak of more than a million. There is power again for more than 800,000 customers. The total number of outages will fluctuate up and down as energy crews temporarily take circuits or substations offline to make repairs and restore additional customers.

Missing persons

To report a missing person or request non-emergency assistance, please call NC 211 or 1-888-892-1162 if calling from abroad.

Shelters

A total of 22 shelters have opened in Western North Carolina, housing more than 915 people and 102 pets last night. There are plans to open additional shelters if necessary to meet additional needs. A shelter for people with special medical needs can accommodate 13 people.

Search and rescue operations

Search and rescue operations are underway in Western North Carolina. A total of 53 search and rescue teams from North Carolina and beyond, consisting of more than 1,600 personnel, conducted search and rescue operations during this event. Search and rescue teams have contacted more than 5,400 people, including assistance, evacuations and rescues.

Road closures

Travel remains dangerous: about 650 roads have been closed since Saturday morning. As connectivity and reporting measures improve, this number may increase. NCDOT is asking people to refrain from unnecessary travel to or in Western North Carolina. Road access is limited to local and hurricane response traffic as crews work to restore critical routes and access communities isolated by damage. First responders also want to keep roads as clear as possible to ensure they can conduct all response missions. NCDOT has posted an interstate detour map at ncdot.gov to help travelers avoid Western NC

NCDOT is currently using the following resources to assist in the recovery process:

♦ more than 2,050 employees, plus 70 contract companies;
♦ 900 trucks, graders and backhoe loaders; And
♦ 5,000 barricades and signs

Mobile carrier coverage

Cell phone carriers are working to resolve the damage and coverage issues caused by the storm and to install emergency solutions such as temporary cell phone towers, and progress is being made quickly. Restoring communications is critical to saving lives, finding where people are and obtaining supplies, and Governor Cooper has been in constant contact with cell phone companies urging action and providing support.

Fatalities

Sixty-eight storm-related deaths have been confirmed in North Carolina by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner. This number is expected to rise in the coming days. The North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will continue to confirm the numbers twice daily. If you have an emergency or think someone is in danger, call 911. To report that you cannot reach someone in Western North Carolina, call 211.

North Carolina National Guard and military response

Governor Cooper has activated more than 1,500 North Carolina National Guard soldiers and airmen to conduct search and rescue operations and deliver critical supplies to Western North Carolina. By Saturday these troops had transported 3.5 million pounds of goods. National Guard and military personnel from NC and other states operate 50 helicopters and more than 400 specialized vehicles in Western North Carolina to facilitate these missions.

President Biden approved Governor Cooper’s request for active duty military personnel and equipment to support ongoing operations in Western North Carolina.

Volunteers and donations

Due to hazardous road conditions and the need to keep routes open for emergency operations, travel to Western North Carolina is strongly discouraged. Instead, consider the following options for donations and volunteer opportunities:

To donate to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund, visit nc.gov/donate.
If you are looking for information about volunteer opportunities, visit nc.gov/working/volunteer-opportunities/volunteernc.