{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://edwards.house.gov/media/press-releases/hurricane-helene-update-5-congressman-edwards", "Hurricane Helene update #5 from Congressman Edwards", "2024-10-02", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "NC", "Chuck Edwards", "E000246", "edwards.house.gov", "edwards", "https://edwards.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Dear Friend,\n\nAs we embark on day five post-disaster, I can sense a building anxiety amongst the people of Western North Carolina. We\u2019re all trying to adapt to the new normal - or whatever \u201cnormal\u201d is supposed to look like when our entire world gets turned upside down - and it\u2019s been difficult.\n\nToday, I have a simple message for you: Stay calm. Help is here, and it is only a matter of time before our beautiful mountains will return to that state of calm serenity that we are all so used to and familiar with.\n\nWhile it is true that we have a long road ahead of us, we are in this together and will make it through. Over the next few months and years as we try to rebuild what once was, we have a unique opportunity to mould our mountains into the future we want for our children and grandchildren who will live here after us.\n\nWhen times are getting tough and it\u2019s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, just remember that your community is here for you, your state is here for you, your country is here for you, and I am here for you. Mountain people are strong, and we are resilient.\n\nIt will take time, but I truly believe that our mountains will rebuild better than ever before.\n\nToday is update number five, with more information to follow in the coming days. This update is more expansive than ever before, with additional information on debris removal, where to get your prescriptions and where you might be able to find cell service. Please make sure to read everything and share it with your friends and family.\n\nFood and Water\n\nSupplying drinkable water remains a top priority for emergency crews.\n\n155 water systems are on a boil advisory, 54 plants have reported having no power and 26 systems are out of water.\n\nThe state of North Carolina has promised 40 trailer loads of water and 20 trailer loads of food daily through at least October 6.\n\nThe Federal Emergency Management Agency has promised 120 truck loads a day of food and water with no specified end date.\n\nResource pick-up locations are listed below by county. As I learn more, I will keep you posted:\n\nBuncombe County\n\nBuncombe County has begun water distribution at multiple sites. Each will be available daily from 1:00-7:00 p.m.:\n\nPack Square Park - you MUST bring your own container for this site\n\n80 Court Plz., Asheville, NC 28801\n\nWilliam W. Estes Elementary School\n\n275 Overlook Rd., Asheville, NC 28803\n\nSand Hill-Venable Elementary\n\n154 Sand Hill School Rd., Asheville, NC 28806\n\nNorth Windy Ridge Intermediate School\n\n20 Doan Rd., Weaverville, NC 28787\n\nFairview Elementary\n\n1355 Charlotte Hwy., Fairview, NC 28730\n\nThe following major feeding site is available in Buncombe County, where citizens can access food, water and other basic necessities:\n\nBiltmore Baptist Church\n\n35 Clayton Rd., Arden, NC 28704\n\nHaywood County\n\nThe following location offers a daily meal at 2:00 p.m. The center also has power, water, shovels, charging stations, trash bags and pet food available:\n\nPigeon Community Center\n\n450 Pigeon St., Waynesville, NC 28786\n\nThere will be food, clothing and shower access from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at the following location:\n\nFirst United Methodist Church\n\n566 S. Haywood St., Waynesville, NC 28786\n\nHenderson County\n\nHenderson County has stood up Resource Hub locations for water distribution and other supplies as they become available.\n\nDistribution takes place daily at the following locations:\n\nEtowah Elementary: 320 Etowah School Rd., Etowah, NC 28729\n\nRugby Middle School: 3345 Haywood Rd., Hendersonville, NC 28791\n\nEast Henderson High School: 150 Eagle Pride Dr., East Flat Rock, NC 28726\n\nNorth Henderson High School: 35 Fruitland Rd., Hendersonville, NC 28792\n\nMills River Town Hall: 124 Town Center Dr., Mills River, NC 28759\n\nFletcher Town Hall: 300 Old Cane Creek Rd., Fletcher, NC 28732\n\nEach family unit will be provided supplies for one day\u2019s meal and water, as available.\n\nIndividuals are asked to enter the drive-through and remain in your car unless otherwise instructed by volunteers to ensure an efficient process.\n\nMcDowell County\n\nMcDowell County has established multiple points of distribution that are open daily from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 4:00-6:00 p.m., depending on supply levels.\n\nDistribution takes place daily at the following locations:\n\nHicks Chapel Church\n\n6008 US 221 N., Marion, NC 28752\n\nFormer TJ\u2019s Discounts\n\n8153 US 221 N., Marion, NC 28752\n\nOld Fort Town Hall\n\n38 Catawba Ave., Marion, NC 28762\n\nNew Manna Baptist Church\n\n225 E. Court St., Marion, NC 28752\n\nSolid Rock Free Will Baptist Church\n\n7860 NC 226 S., Nebo, NC 28761\n\nHot meals are also being provided at the following location:\n\nGrace Community Church\n\n5182 US 70 W., Marion, NC 28752\n\nLunch is served every day from 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.\n\nDinner is available from 4:00-5:30 p.m.\n\nRutherford County\n\nThe following locations are open from 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. for citizens to get food and emergency supplies:\n\nThomas Jefferson High School\n\n2527 US-221A Hwy., Mooresboro, NC 28114\n\nFlorence Baptist Church\n\n201 S. Broadway St., Forest City, NC 28043\n\nRutherford County Health Department\n\n221 Callahan Koon Rd., Spindale, NC 28160\n\nGilkey Church of God\n\n255 Oak Springs Rd., Rutherfordton, NC 28139\n\nParks, Recreation, & Lake Office\n\n658 Memorial Hwy., Lake Lure, NC 28746\n\nDebris Removal\n\nIf your home has damages and you need assistance with cleanup, please call Crisis Cleanup for access to volunteer organizations that can assist you at 844-965-1386.\n\nAdditionally, the following counties have resources for where to take debris waste.\n\nHaywood\n\nHousehold waste will be accepted at the Materials Recovery Facility at 247 Recycle Rd., Clyde and at Convenience Centers at Jonathan Creek, Beaverdam, Bethel, Hazelwood, Mauney Cove, Jones Cove and Highway 110.\n\nWhite Oak Landfill has reopened, as of noon on Tuesday, October 1.\n\nHenderson\n\nHenderson County Transfer Station will be open September 30 at 7:00 a.m. accepting storm debris with normal fees. A free storm debris site is in the works and will be available soon.\n\nUnited States Postal Service\n\nAll mail delivery operations in the following three-digit ZIP code areas (any ZIP code beginning with these numbers) continue to be suspended:\n\n287\n\nUSPS still has many facilities in the 287 area that remain unable to resume regular operations.\n\nDespite this, delivery operations are being attempted in the 287 three-digit ZIP code area - including from facilities that currently lack power - where it is possible and safe to do so.\n\n288\n\n289\n\nAdditionally, operations at the facility below remain suspended:\n\nRutherfordton: 130 E. Court St., Rutherfordton, NC 28139\n\nPharmacy Access\n\nCVS currently has 16 pharmacies that remain closed, including two locations - 522 S. Main St., Hendersonville, NC and 2351 US 70 Hwy., Swannanoa, NC - are total losses and will not reopen.\n\nCVS is actively working with USPS to better understand the plan and request mobile post offices in the blacked-out ZIP codes starting with 287, 288 and 289 to ensure mail delivery of medication can take place for customers that rely on it.\n\nFor individuals able to safely travel to fill a prescription, CVS at the following locations are actively open as of October 2:\n\n324 Long Shoals Rd., Arden, NC 28704\n\n505 Smokey Park Hwy., Asheville, NC 28806\n\n371 Asheville Hwy., Brevard, NC 28712\n\n3450 Hendersonville Rd., Fletcher, NC 28732\n\n1605 Four Seasons Blvd., Hendersonville, NC 28792\n\n2001 Spartanburg Hwy., Hendersonville, NC 28792\n\n111 S. Main St., Rutherfordton, NC 28139\n\n773 Russ Ave., Waynesville, NC 28786\n\nHow to Acquire a Prescription:\n\nIf a store is closed, you can still call the number and the pharmacy\u2019s phone lines have been rerouted to a nearby CVS Pharmacy that is open to help patients access their prescriptions.\n\nPatients can visit any CVS Pharmacy for assistance with immediate prescription needs.\n\nPower and Gas\n\n284,000 customers remain without power in Western North Carolina.\n\nThe number of customers seeing their power turn back on each day is slowing, but that is only because Duke Energy has been conducting significant work to repair and bring back online the 360 substations that were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Helene.\n\nSo far, 82% of substations have been restored and significant substation work is continuing today.\n\nGenerators, mutual aid crews and additional power restoration assets are being moved into the hardest hit areas as debris removal allows.\n\nDuke Energy has not changed their anticipated restoration of service date.\n\nMost customers in Western North Carolina can expect the power to be back on by Friday, October 4.\n\nWARNING: Customers in areas that are inaccessible, dependent on infrastructure that has been destroyed or are unable to receive service, may see additional delays.\n\nThousands of linemen are working day and night to clear debris, reopen roadways and repair major portions of the power grid.\n\nFor more information on Duke Energy\u2019s power restoration efforts, you can review the following links:\n\nOutage Map: duke-energy.com/outages\n\nOutage Alerts: duke-energy.com/outages/alerts\n\nGenerator safety: duke-energy.com/outages/generators\n\nPower restoration process: duke-energy.com/outages/restoring-your-power\n\nRoads\n\nA \u201cDO NOT DRIVE\u201d message remains in place from the North Carolina Department of Transportation for Western North Carolina.\n\nUnless it is an emergency, please do not travel.\n\nYesterday, NCDOT announced that communication and access issues skewed their ability to collect information on road closures.\n\nAn updated approximate of 400 roads are closed with more than 700 damage sites and over 100 impacted bridges.\n\nCrews are working both day and night to clear debris and repair roadways.\n\nBat Cave and Gerton communities on US 64/74 in Henderson County have been isolated since the beginning of the storm with no access out.\n\nNCDOT is working to reach them from both Buncombe and Henderson County sides.\n\nNCDOT has reopened I-40 East at the location of the landslide near Old Fort.\n\nIndividuals evacuating the Asheville area are able to use I-40 East or I-26 East.\n\nCell Service\n\nYesterday was frustrating for many as we saw a severe decrease in cell service compared to previous days.\n\nService providers are continuing to deploy additional temporary cell sites to mitigate overwhelming the temporary network in locations where sites have already been deployed.\n\nSpaceX and local and federal partners have deployed dozens of Starlink dishes to areas in WNC that have lost cell and internet access with more on the way.\n\nThe technology uses orbiting satellites instead of ground-based networks to deliver high-speed broadband in disaster zones.\n\nA temporary Verizon satellite trailer is located at the Family Justice Center at 35 Woodfin St., offering an opportunity for limited cellular reception within several city blocks of where it is parked.\n\nT-Mobile has set up satellite cellular on light trucks (SatCOLTs) in Asheville, providing cellular voice and data along with wi-fi and charging stations at the following locations:\n\nAsheville Middle School\n\n211 S. French Broad Ave., Asheville, NC 28801\n\nDr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center\n\n285 Livingston St., Asheville, NC 28801\n\nMore T-Mobile satellite cell on trucks are also located in Hendersonville and at a Tractor Supply Co. in Asheville, with others planned for Mission Hospital in Asheville, Cherokee County Emergency Operations Center in Murphy, and in Cherokee.\n\nNorth Carolina National Guard\n\nAlmost 800 North Carolina National Guard soldiers and airmen have been deployed to provide support to Western North Carolina so far.\n\nFurther, more than 275 vehicles, including 88 High-Water Vehicles and 19 Helicopters, have been deployed to western NC.\n\nAir missions are continuing in support of search and rescue, damage assessments and supply delivery.\n\nSo far, NCNG has:\n\nProvided 135,000 lbs. of supplies by air transport\n\nConducted 60 hoist rescues\n\nRescued 422 Western North Carolinians - 42 were critically injured, four were infants and 64 were animals.\n\nHere are a few key phone numbers from the NCNG:\n\nHOTLINE: 888-892-1162\n\nEmergency Management Watch: 919-733-3300\n\nDonated Goods: 919-825-2474\n\nThese lines have very high call volumes. If you do not get through first try, keep calling.\n\nAsheville Regional Airport\n\nAsheville Regional Airport closed mid-day on Friday, September 27, due to risk of flooding.\n\nCommercial flights at Asheville Regional Airport have resumed.\n\nIf you parked your car in an Asheville Regional Airport lot and could not retrieve the vehicle due to the storm, great news - none of the airport\u2019s lots flooded and all cars are fine.\n\nStay safe and pick up your car when you are able.\n\nFor NC-11 Medical Practices\n\nIf you own a medical practice in NC-11 and are experiencing financial hardship due to Hurricane Helene, the North Carolina Medical Society will be reactivating its Financial Recovery Program (FRP) to help you recover and open your doors again.\n\nThe FRP will be back online to provide much needed assistance soon.\n\nMore information to follow.\n\nFor Local Government Resource Requests\n\nFor county leaders: This is a reminder to make sure your Emergency Operation Center has submitted the request for gasoline, food, water, cell service deployables, etc. with North Carolina Emergency Management to have your request processed and resources delivered.\n\nMy office stands ready to assist with checking the status of your request if the county or municipality has not heard back from NC Emergency Management within 24 hours.\n\nFor Individual Assistance through FEMA\n\nNorth Carolina received a Major Disaster Declaration for the following counties: Buncombe, Clay, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania and Yancey Counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.\n\nPeople with damage to their homes or personal property who live in one of the above-listed counties should apply for Individual Assistance through FEMA, which may include upfront funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula and other emergency supplies.\n\nFunds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay.\n\nIndividual Assistance provides financial aid and services to eligible individuals and households that have been affected by a disaster to assist with the recovery process. Individuals can officially begin applying for Individual Assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or by calling the application phone number at 1-800-621-3362 (TTY: 800-462-7585) between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. EST.\n\nTo date, more than 10,000 survivors have registered with FEMA for Individual Assistance.\n\nTo Connect with a Loved One\n\nResidents trying to connect with family members may call NC 211 (or 1-888-892-1162 if calling from out-of-state) to report missing loved ones or request a welfare check.\n\nAdditionally, people in the impacted areas can indicate that they are safe by reporting themselves safe through Red Cross Reunification by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).\n\nPlease only use 911 for life-threatening emergencies so the lines remain open for critical situations.\n\nResources for Utility & Other Status Updates\n\nFor information on the status of utilities, debris sites, etc., we want to share the following resources. As communications are restored and more information becomes available, these sites will continue to be updated.\n\nDrinking Water Systems: Public Water Supply Situation Report Tracking\n\nDebris Disposal Sites: Active Temporary Debris Disposal Sites\n\nNCDEQ Situation Report Tracking System\n\nNCDPS Hurricane Helene - Storm Information\n\nNCDPS County Emergency Management Agencies\n\nHow to Apply for FEMA Assistance After Hurricane Helene\n\nShelters\n\nFor those unable to evacuate to a safe location or in need of a place to go, the following shelters are currently open and available as of October 1:\n\nBuncombe\n\nA-B Technical Community College\n\n340 Victoria Rd., Asheville, NC 28801\n\nWNC Agricultural Center\n\n1301 Fanning Bridge Rd., Fletcher, NC 28732\n\nHaywood\n\nHaywood County Government Armory\n\n285 Armory Dr., Clyde, NC 28781\n\nHenderson\n\nEdneyville Elementary School\n\n2875 Pace Rd., Hendersonville, NC 28792\n\nHenderson County Recreation Center\n\n708 S. Grove St., Hendersonville, NC 28792\n\nMadison\n\nMadison County Wellness Center\n\n5734 US 25-70 Hwy., Marshall, NC 28752\n\nMcDowell\n\nMcDowell County Senior Center\n\n100 Spaulding Rd., Marion, NC 28752\n\nYMCA of Western North Carolina\n\n348 Grace Corpening Dr., Marion, NC 28752\n\nPolk\n\nPolk County High School\n\n1681 NC 108 Highway E., Columbus, NC 28722\n\nRutherford\n\nRutherfordton/Spindale Central High School\n\n641 US 221 Hwy. N., Rutherfordton, NC 28139\n\nTransylvania\n\nPisgah Forest Baptist Church\n\n494 Hendersonville Hwy., Pisgah Forest, NC 28768\n\nTransylvania Parks & Rec\n\n1078 Ecusta Rd., Brevard, NC 28712\n\nYancey\n\nBlue Ridge Elementary\n\n910 Cane River School Rd., Burnsville, NC 28714\n\nWith my warmest regards,\n\nChuck Edwards\n\nMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://edwards.house.gov/media/press-releases/hurricane-helene-update-5-congressman-edwards"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0945391841232777, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}