How to Help Out with Hurricane Helene

Road Conditions Hazardous
The roads around Asheville, particularly northwards from I-26 heading towards I-81 are still being assessed, cleared, and repaired. I-40 east and west of Asheville are also flagged for obstructions and repairs per the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Truckers may need to travel through Charlottesville to head westwards towards Atlanta then circle back upwards to reach Knoxville. According to Destinations A to Z, which caters to RV travelers, there is a partially open road going to Greeneville, TN (US 25 via Marshall, NC), but the road has many twists and turns.

According to official press releases I-40 Knoxville the Tennessee-North Carolina border to Mitchell County may be shut down until September 2025. I-26 North is expected to re-open by March 2025. However the nature of repairs and reconstruction whether temporary or long-term is that one must expect delays traveling through Western North Carolina because of re-routing, which can happen on short notice. People are advised to tank up and carry an extra tank because gas-lines in front of gas-stations are at least a mile long.

The current travel advisory reads: "Do not travel in or to Western North Carolina. All roads in Western North Carolina should be considered closed and non-emergency travel is prohibited. I-40 is impassable in multiple locations. I-26 is closed at the Tennessee state line. Travel in this area for non-emergency purposes is hindering emergency response."

Despite the valient efforts of volunteer road crew, including rebuilding roadways, establishing temporary bridges even using 18-wheeler type flat-beds to ford streams, clearing culverts and constructing berms, the residents are working against the approach of winter and the challenges of the cold season.

Emergency Response

This is not inhibiting a slew of emergency rescue volunteers. In fact according to various sources including Appalachia's Homestead, the National Guard appeared within a week of the hurricane departure. Thousands of volunteers and rescue workers are needed, but due to delays in a federal response, far fewer military helicopters and personnel have appeared on the ground. Volunteer flight response was critical due to the number of small towns and villages dotting the Smoky Mountains region. Many live at higher elevations than 2000 feet, and if the roads become impassable, the only way to reach them is via air, or mule, or on foot.

Thus the early flight response has been nearly a 40 to 4 in personal private aerial vehicles used versus the government. Among those organizations who volunteered were Jaars, Inc; Aerial Recovery; Hillbilly Pilots; and Redneck Airforce. People even tried to fly drones in to drop water and meals off. Heart-wrenching stories on recovery operations abound, such as the couple that were stranded then reunited near Lake Lure. Many have lived up in these hills for generations, and it is not uncommon for several generations to live nearby one another or even in the same home helping to take care of one another.

Jaars, Inc. recorded their volunteer efforts in their vlog online, and using lightwing aircraft, helicopters, and map coordination provided critical relief supplies during the first week. Being a Christian ministry flying missions around the world, they are very familiar with remote navigation challenges; furthermore, being based in North Carolina, they already had access to local airports, including their own hangars and mechanics. However the emergency response was a new matter for them; nevertheless, they delivered many necessities to distribution points including water, generators, baby food, and toiletries. In one week, using seven craft, they were able to provide 270,000# of aid via air and ground.

Distribution Centers receiving Supplies and Donation Resources are listed. Gifts are appreciated & not limited to North Carolina. (Please check the names carefully to avoid scams.)

Aerial Recovery, Avery County NC Cleanup, Cajun Navy, Chuck Edwards (Congressman), Crossroads Community church, Generation Church in Asheville, Gentry and Sons Trucking, Grindstone Ministries, Hearts with Hands, Heroes for Humanity, Hillbilly Pilots, Jaars, Inc, Mountain Mule Packer Ranch, National Guard, NC Outdoor Adventures, Operation BBQ Relief, Redneck Air Force, Red Cross, Salvation Army, Samaritan's Purse, Save Our Allies

They were relieved to see when the National Guard flew in two of their huge military helicopters starting Monday, September 30, and provided 200,000# of aid. Appalachia's Homestead and Mark Huneycutt both interviewed survivors who witness National Guard clearing roads and rescueing people trapped higher up in mountains, as well as recovering cadavers and putting remains in body bags. According to NC Outdoor Adventures, the NG marked over 100 possible bodies in just a six-mile stretch of river; but the recovery requires them to dig out and try to retrieve body parts such as teeth; so it may be a very long time to identify all the missing people.

In fact, Outdoor Adventures couple had to dig themselves out after the flood, because the Toe River near Red Hill had undermined and dislodged the railroad line, and filled up a tunnel passageway with debris. People in that area are short on supplies for winter and they had a wishlist that included propane fuel, camping stoves, handwarmers, blankets, food for diabetics, and ORV transport. However at the same time, since people in these remote areas still have limited storage areas it may have to be incremental; for instance, she pointed out a swing bridge that was crumpled up; and she pointed out homes where all that was left standing was a stone chimney.

North Carolina aerial airforce types such as Rebuild Rescue are doing flyovers recording how the river above Lake Lure has broadened to twice its size, jumped its channel, and altered the terrain. Hydrogeologically speaking, it will take work to assess how and if the streambed can be restored to its original alignment confined to a channel running parallel with the road and railroad embankments. There are many instances of this whether the French Broad River, Toe River, Pidgeon River, where major roadways are washed out.

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