Special to IFN

RALEIGH — Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina 25 days ago as the deadliest tropical storm in the state’s history.

Gov. Roy Cooper declared a State of Emergency Declaration before the storm hit and North Carolina National Guard soldiers, swift water rescue teams, equipment and supplies were positioned in Western North Carolina to respond as soon as the storm passed.

Just as this storm was unprecedented, the response that followed has been unprecedented in its size and speed.

Key Progress

Today, there are approximately 5,000 customers without power down from more than one million customers just after the storm. Most of the cell phone coverage that was wiped out by the storm has been restored.

The N.C. Department of Transportation has opened 789 roads of the approximately 1,200 roads that were closed as a result of the storm, which is significant considering the difficulty of making repairs in a rugged, mountainous region. NCDOT currently has approximately 2,000 employees and 900 pieces of equipment working to reopen roads that remain closed.

A total of 28 of the school districts that were closed following the storm have re-opened, with seven still closed. Two more are scheduled to re-open this week.

North Carolina National Guard (NCNG) soldiers and other military personnel rescued 765 people with local first responders and swift water teams rescuing hundreds more. The state has confirmed 95 fatalities, and there are currently approximately 26 people still unaccounted for.

Air Drop

Because road access was limited, the state, local and federal government working with nonprofits and volunteers used a system for aerial delivery of supplies and commodities like water, food and medicine. Supplies were brought into the Asheville airport by plane and then delivered to other parts of Western North Carolina by helicopter.

At the height of this operation, more than 30 planes and helicopters and 1,200 ground vehicles were in use. More than 27 million pounds of food and water were delivered by the state and federal government, with more being brought by non-profits and charities.

National Guard and Military

The response to Helene was the largest and fastest integration of U.S. military soldiers with the National Guard in North Carolina history.

More than 3,150 Soldiers and Airmen have been working in Western North Carolina in the aftermath of the storm. Joint Task Force-North Carolina, led by the North Carolina National Guard, is made up of Soldiers and Airmen from 12 different states, two different XVIII Airborne Corps units from Ft. Liberty, a unit from Ft. Campbell’s 101st Airborne Division, and numerous civilian entities working side-by-side to get the much-needed help to people in Western North Carolina.

The Army Corps of Engineers is working with local, state and federal experts, including the EPA and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ), to assess damages, remove debris and repair water systems.

More than 1,600 responders from 39 state and local agencies have performed 146 missions supporting the response and recovery efforts through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC).

FEMA Response

Approximately $129 million in FEMA Individual Assistance funds so far have been paid directly to people in Western North Carolina hurt by the storm and more than 207,000 people have registered for Individual Assistance. More than 6,200 people have been able to get temporary housing through FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance. More than 5,100 registrations for Small Business Administration Loans have been filed.

Approximately 1,500 FEMA staff are in the state to help with the Western North Carolina relief effort. In addition to search and rescue and providing commodities, they have been meeting with disaster survivors in their neighborhoods and homes, in shelters, and in other areas to provide rapid access to relief resources.

Bipartisan Bill for Funding and Elections

Just days after the storm, state legislators returned to Raleigh on October 9 to begin the process of allocating state funding for storm recovery. On October 10, Gov. Cooper signed HB 149 into law as a first step in that process. In addition to initial funding, the bill also allows people in affected counties to have more options in where they return absentee ballots and gives flexibility to local election boards in impacted counties to ensure people have opportunities to vote. The 2024 election will be safe and secure, and people impacted by the storm will be able to make their voices heard.

Gov. Cooper also raised the amount of weekly unemployment payments for the thousands of people temporarily out of work. The Executive Order increasing benefits won unanimous bipartisan support from the N.C. Council of State.

Misinformation and Disinformation

Gov. Cooper and a bipartisan array of local, state and federal North Carolina officials have called out the intentional spread of disinformation and misinformation as detrimental to this response and recovery, leading to threats and intimidation, breeding confusion, and demoralizing storm survivors and response workers.

On October 11, Gov. Cooper responded to one of Donald Trump’s social media posts by saying: “This is a flat out lie. We’re working with all partners around the clock to get help to people. Trump’s lies and conspiracy theories have hurt the morale of first responders and people who lost everything, helped scam artists and put government and rescue workers in danger.”

At a media briefing on October 16, Cooper was asked why he believes the misinformation and disinformation have been worse after this storm compared to others.

“Candidates are using people’s misery to sow chaos for their own political objectives, and it’s wrong. This is a time where we all need to pull together to help the people of Western North Carolina and it’s disappointing when candidates, knowing full well what they’re doing, are continuing this kind of disinformation filled with lies,” the governor said.

Efforts Will Continue to Ensure Long Term Recovery

Other resources have surged into the area following the storm. Some $100 million in emergency funding from U.S. Department of Transportation has been granted. NC Department of Health and Human Services, NCDEQ, Department of Motor Vehicles, NC Department of Public Instruction and many other state entities are supporting response and recovery.

Western North Carolina has never experienced a storm like this. Recovery in mountainous terrain will require a unique, united and sustained effort that focuses on people who’ve lost everything while leaving politics at the door.