From the coast of Tampa to the Appalachian Mountains, Helene brought significant destruction across 500 miles, leaving many communities in Western NC in urgent need of support and recovery.
On Sept. 29, President Joe Biden approved Governor Roy Cooper’s request for a Federal Major Disaster Declaration for Tropical Storm Helene, enabling immediate federal assistance for 25 counties in NC and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
Here’s what we know:
Oct. 3, 2024
During Wednesday’s 4 p.m. press conference, the community heard from representatives of the City Manager’s Office and the Police Department.
City Manager Debra Campbell said, “City, County, State, and Federal resources are working in a coordinated manner and as fast as possible… recovery efforts will take weeks, not days.”
Campbell shared that FEMA has assigned a team of 25 people to our area for the next several weeks.
“The City of Asheville’s highest priority is to get water, food, and other necessities to our most vulnerable populations,” Campbell said.
Other priorities include: full restoration of city’s water system, continuing search and rescue efforts, and ongoing public safety. A curfew remains in effect for the City of Asheville from 7:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.
Sheriff Quentin Miller announced that at least 61 people have died so far, up from 57 the day before. In addition to securing food distribution sites, pharmacies, and medical centers, first responders and officers are currently participating in efforts that support search and rescue, welfare checks, reunification of missing persons, and the investigation of scammers.
Please note — residents should wary of people going door to door and asking for donations to support relief efforts. Reputable companies offering to do repairs will not require payment upfront — do research online to ensure companies are licensed and legitimate service providers.
“It truly takes a village and our law enforcement community has stepped up to ensure Asheville is safe,” said Police Chief Mike Lamb.
Officers are also securing public roads and areas that are unsafe — especially areas along the Swannanoa and French Broad rivers. Lamb warned the public not to cross security lines or barricades, which could indicate dangerous conditions like sink holes — ignoring these barriers could result in a dangerous situation and put first responders’ lives at risk.
Pro tip: When power is out at a traffic light, it becomes a four-way stop. “Use patience and watch out for each other,” Lamb said.
Officials have urged residents not to travel to affected areas, as roads remain perilous and resources are scarce. A curfew is still in effect for the City of Asheville, from 7:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m., and there will be no trash or recycling collections, or bus services for most areas until further notice. However, the landfill is open for public use.
Water services
There is currently no timeline for restoring running water in Asheville and Buncombe County. Assistant City Manager Ben Woody spoke extensively on Oct. 3 regarding the work that is needed to restore and repair water treatment plants and water distribution systems across our region.
“Distribution systems have suffered catastrophic damage,” Woody said. Crews from Greensboro, Raleigh, Charlotte, and Cape Fear are actively helping to make local repairs, but access to some areas is still not possible, and the full extent of damage is unknown, according to Woody.
“Even if plants are operational, we can’t get water to the community until the distribution system is operational,” Woody said, and that relies on the rebuilding of entire roadbeds to support re-installation of water lines.
- William DeBruhl Water Treatment Facility, Swannanoa — inaccessible and inoperable
- Asheville Water Treatment Facility, Mills River — limited operations, serving primarily residents in South Asheville (non-potable, boil alert in effect)
- Northfork Water Treatment Facility, Black Mountain — inoperable, repairs are underway
“We’re going to make progress every day — and a return to potable water, that process is going to be staggered. That is going to happen incrementally. We first have to get to non-potable water before we can return to potable water service.”
Buncombe has set up water distribution sites that will also begin serving food as it becomes available. Folks are encouraged to bring their own containers to fill with water.
- William W. Estes Elementary School, 275 Overlook Rd., Asheville
- Sand Hill Elementary - 154 Sand Hill School Rd., Asheville (enter via Acton Circle)
- North Windy Ridge Intermediate School, 20 Doan Rd., Weaverville
- Fairview Elementary School, 1355 Charlotte Highway, Fairview
UNC Asheville is opening a drive-thru water distribution site from 2 to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3. One case of bottled water will be given to each vehicle — all community members are welcome. Enter through Campus Drive from Broadway Street.
Food and shelter
MANNA FoodBank is set up at the Farmers Market (570 Brevard Rd., Asheville — parking lot to the left) to accept donations and distribute food + resources. Donation hours are from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., and distribution hours are from 1 to 4 p.m. each day until this Saturday, Oct. 5.
World Central Kitchen is providing free meals daily at Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ (135 Coxe Ave.) beginning at 12 p.m.
Food in the form of meals-ready-to-eat and bottled water are available at two distribution sites from the City of Asheville.
- Asheville Middle School
- Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center.
If you are unsure if drinking water and food are safe for consumption, please check these resources.
There are a few shelters in place:
- General shelter: AB Tech Conference Center, 16 Fernihurst Dr. (use Victoria Road entrance)
- Medical emergency shelter: 10 Genevieve Circle
- Now open: Former Gold’s Gym, 1815 Hendersonville Rd.
Connecting with loved ones
With many folks still without cell service, the Register of Deeds office is helping families locate loved ones they haven’t heard from. They’ve received 11,000+ requests so far. A wellness check initiative is being organized, with volunteers conducting door-to-door visits. If you haven’t heard from someone who may be affected by the storm, please complete this form to notify Buncombe County officials or call (828) 820-2761 to leave a voicemail.
Cell service
The community is experiencing limited power and cell service, and temporary solutions are in place to improve communication. Power restoration is ongoing, with many areas expected to have some power returned by Fri., Oct. 4.
Mobile substations are being set up to support this process. These stations provide cellular voice and data, as well as Wi-Fi + charging stations:
- Verizon cellular satellite trailer | Family Justice Center, 35 Woodfin St.
- T-mobile cellular satellite trucks | Asheville Middle School, 211 S. French Broad Ave.; Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center; 285 Livingston St.
- T-Mobile Wi-Fi substation | Tractor Supply Co., 14 Monticello Rd, Weaverville, NC
Wi-Fi is also accessible outside the West Asheville Public Library at 942 Haywood Rd. and Pack Memorial Library at 67 Haywood St. The password is “readmore.”
Prescriptions
- Need a prescription filled but unsure where to go? The NC Board of Pharmacy has a confirmation of which pharmacies in Western NC are open and serving patients. Check their website for the latest updates on operating hours and locations.
Immediate ways to help
- If you have donations, please do not bring them to food or water distribution sites — instead, email helenedonations@buncombecounty.org
- For those looking to assist financially, donations can be sent to helenedonations@buncombecounty.org, to community nonprofit BeLoved Asheville, or to one of the 400+ verified GoFundMe pages relating to Hurricane Helene. You can also donate to a special fund created by GoFundMe.
- If you’re local and can volunteer, reach out to helenevolunteers@buncombecounty.org.
- ABC13 provided a helpful list of available resources for donations, volunteer opportunities, and food.
