FROM STAFF REPORTS

Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell and Chief Deputy William Hamby were among the first first-responders from outside the region to survey the devastation wrought on Western North Carolina by Hurricane Helene.

Campbell and Hamby escorted a truckload of hand sanitizer and water donated by Southern Distillery Co. to Madison and Yancey counties and saw the destruction firsthand.

“The death and despair and the damage” they witnessed were unimaginable, Campbell said, describing a scene that included homes floating down the river, cars overturned and huge boulders from the river bottom that had been moved by the powerful flow of flood water that swamped the region.

“It’s going to take years to recover,” Campbell said.

In an effort to help the region, the Sheriff’s Office has deployed additional deputies to the region as part of the the N.C. Sheriff’s Association Disaster Relief Team as part of the “Sheriff’s Helping Sheriff’s” initiative. 

On Saturday, September 28, a day after Hurricane Helene, a team of 11 deputies deployed to Buncombe County, where they provided critical support by conducting welfare checks, responding to service calls, and assisting with essential operations in disaster shelters.

On Wednesday, October 2, deputies moved to neighboring McDowell County due to severe needs there.

The initial team of 11 deputies was relieved, and 10 new deputies were deployed to continue law enforcement operations. This second team remained until Sunday, October 6, supporting local agencies with search and rescue and relief efforts.

In response to ongoing needs, six additional deputies were deployed early on Monday, October 7, and remained on site until Thursday, October 10.

As resources needs change, the Sheriff’s Office will continue rotating deputies as needed, with shorter deployments to support relief efforts in the coming weeks.

“We remain committed to helping our neighbors in Western North Carolina rebuild and recover,” said Sheriff Campbell. “As long as there’s a need, we’ll continue to deploy our resources and personnel to assist in these areas.”

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