releases: https://edwards.house.gov/media/press-releases/hurricane-helene-recovery-update-16-congressman-edwards
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://edwards.house.gov/media/press-releases/hurricane-helene-recovery-update-16-congressman-edwards | Hurricane Helene recovery update #16 from Congressman Edwards | 2024-10-13 | 2024 | 2024-10 | Republican | House | NC | Chuck Edwards | E000246 | edwards.house.gov | edwards | https://edwards.house.gov/media/press-releases | scraper | October 13, 2024 Dear Friend, Today is Sunday, marking the end of yet another very long week for the people of Western North Carolina. While I know this may be a heavy ask for many, I have a request for each of you. Today, I ask that you take a little time to relax and be proud of your accomplishments since Helene hit. Even if it’s just an hour or two, I’ve seen how hard you have worked over the past two weeks to help our mountains recover and nobody has taken a break, but you deserve one. In the spirit of spreading positivity, I would love to know what you decide to do to relax. And tomorrow, we will all wake back up and continue serving our neighbors to rebuild Western North Carolina, one step at a time. This update includes information on a new Jackson County Disaster Recovery Center, the deadline to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance (Nov. 27, 2024), and Disaster Unemployment Assistance for individuals whose jobs were lost or temporarily suspended due to Hurricane Helene. Today is update number 16, with more information to come in the following days. Please make sure to read everything and share it with your friends and family. Index Click the title to be taken to the correlating information in the update. FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Sites Legislative Support Food and Water Buncombe County Haywood County Henderson County Jackson County Madison County McDowell County Polk County Rutherford County Transylvania County Yancey County Trash Services and Debris Removal Buncombe Haywood Henderson Madison Polk Transylvania Yancey Voter Information United States Postal Service/Mail Services Pharmacy Access Open Urgent Cares/ Health Care Services Dialysis Locations Oxygen Locations Resources for Veterans Resources for Farmers Power Roads Internet Access Cell Service North Carolina National Guard & Department of Defense Asheville Regional Airport Federal Nutrition Programs For NC-11 Medical Providers For Local Government Resource Requests For Individual Assistance through FEMA To Connect with a Loved One Resources for Utility & Other Status Updates Free Legal Assistance IRS Guidance for Taxpayers Impacted by Hurricane Helene Shelters Buncombe County Haywood County Henderson County Madison County McDowell County Rutherford County Transylvania County Yancey County Carolina Cruiser Mobile Office Hours FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Sites The following FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers are open seven days a week to assist North Carolina survivors who have experienced losses from Hurricane Helene. A.C. Reynolds High School 1 Rocket Dr., Asheville, NC 28803 Daily hours: 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. A Comfort Care Center will also be available at this location where survivors can shower, do laundry and use other services. The Asheville Social Security office remains closed due to a lack of power and water. The Social Security Administration is maintaining staff at the Buncombe County Disaster Recovery Center until the Asheville office reopens. Jackson County Annex Building 198 WBI Dr., Sylva, NC 28779 Daily hours: 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. McDowell County Senior Center 100 Spaulding Rd., Marion, NC 28752 Daily hours: 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. A Disaster Recovery Center is a one-stop shop where survivors can meet face-to-face with FEMA representatives, apply for FEMA assistance, receive referrals to local assistance in their area, apply with the U.S. Small Business Administration for disaster loans, etc. Additional recovery centers will be opening soon, and I will keep you posted as I learn about them. Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) teams are also stationed across NC-11 to help survivors apply for FEMA assistance and connect them with additional state, local, federal and voluntary agency resources. In addition to designated locations, DSA teams are going door to door to provide assistance, but please note, FEMA staff will carry an official photo ID and will never ask for bank information. They will also never ask for money and never require payment in any form. FEMA is going door to door in the following counties: Buncombe County Haywood County Henderson County Macon County Madison County Polk County Swain County Yancey County As new stationary locations are established, I will keep you posted. The following locations are open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., unless otherwise noted: Buncombe County Ingles Market 550 Hwy. 9, Black Mountain, NC 28803 Walmart 60 Airport Rd., Arden, NC 28704 Riceville Community Church 2342 Riceville Rd., Asheville, NC 28805 Title 10 Mission - Asheville 503 Park St., Swannanoa, NC28778 Montford North Star Academy 90 Montford Ave., Asheville, NC 28801 AC Reynolds High School 1 Rocket Dr., Asheville, NC 28803 Beech Community Center 15 State Rd. 2117, Weaverville, NC 28787 Jackson County Jackson County EOC 401 Grindstaff Cove Rd., Ste. A-145, Sylva, NC 28779 McDowell County Corpening Memorial YMCA 348 Grace Corpening Dr., Marion, NC 28752 McDowell County EOC 129 Barnes Rd., Marion, NC 28752 McDowell County Senior Center 100 Spaulding Rd., Marion, NC 28752 Rutherford County Ingles Market 276 N. 9 Hwy., Lake Lure, NC 28746 Transylvania County Transylvania County EOC 155 Public Safety Way, Brevard, NC 28712 Yancey County Yancey County Public Library 321 School Cir., Burnsville, NC 28174 Legislative Support The U.S. House of Representatives is gearing up to pass a disaster relief package when we return to session in November. I have begun conversations with leadership about how to best meet Western North Carolina’s needs in any supplemental relief package passed by Congress in the coming months. The North Carolina General Assembly unanimously passed the Disaster Recovery Act of 2024 on Oct. 9, 2024. This bill creates a new Hurricane Helene fund with $273 million from the state’s Savings Reserve Fund. $250 million will go to the Department of Public Safety's Division of Emergency Management to provide the state’s match to federal disaster relief funds. Another portion of the funds will be used to establish a revolving loan program to help local government and state agencies with cash flow while they are waiting for reimbursement from the federal government. $16 million will go to the Department of Public Instruction for “lost compensation of school nutrition employees due to school closures resulting from Hurricane Helene” $2 million to provide local governments technical assistance with local recovery funds. $5 million to the State Board of Elections, alongside a variety of temporary election law changes such as changing polling sites that were rendered unusable by the storm and establishing a voter hotline, to make it easier for residents of Western North Carolina to vote. The bill also: Grants school calendar flexibility to public schools by allowing them to make up or mark as completed any number of the days or hours missed. It also allows the schools to use up to 30 days of remote instruction toward required instructional days. Waives DMV fees for things like obtaining a duplicate driver’s license, ID card, etc. Waives certain environmental requirements for state highway repairs. This provision will not reduce the safety of repairs conducted by NCDOT or negatively impact the environment. Food and Water A mobile lab to test drinking water is available at the following location seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. until October 19: A-B Tech Community College 20 Canoe Ln., Woodfin, NC 28804 Supplying drinkable water remains a top priority for emergency crews. 55 water systems are on a partial or system-wide boil advisory. Only one treatment plant has reported having no power and 13 systems remain out of water. Water restoration trends continue to move in a positive direction. There are 120 wastewater treatment plants operating under normal conditions in the affected areas across Western NC. An additional 23 wastewater treatment plants are partially operational or operating on back-up power. There are 70 potable water trucks and 13 non-potable water trucks supporting Western North Carolina, with a total of 92,000 gallons of water delivered. Several major water systems are currently not distributing water, including the City of Asheville, Black Mountain, Woodfin, Spruce Pine, and Burnsville. Work continues on each of these systems to restore functionality. NCDEQ has provided the following resources to help community members track progress on water supply restoration efforts: Public Water Supply Situation Report Tracking - ArcGIS map with filters for system status, county, etc. linked here. DEQ Dashboard - links to additional maps, including mobile view of water system status, and environmental guidance linked here. North Carolina Emergency Management has delivered over 6,000 pallets of water and nearly 8,000 pallets of meals to date. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has promised 120 truckloads a day of food and water with no specified end date. FEMA has shipped 14 million liters of water and more than 17 million meals utilizing the $20 billion in funds that I helped to draft and pass for disaster relief just two days before Hurricane Helene hit. Of the shipped food and water, more than 10 million liters of water and more than 7.8 million individual meals have already been delivered to Western NC communities. Lowe’s has donated an additional $10 million to support hurricane relief in Western North Carolina. Home Depot will be passing out free disaster relief kits every day starting at 9:00 a.m., while supplies last, at the following locations: Home Depot Asheville 795 Fairview Rd., Asheville, NC 28803 Home Depot West Asheville 127 Acton Cir., Asheville, NC 28806 Home Depot Hendersonville 401 Linda Vista Dr., Hendersonville, NC 28792 Walmart is hosting activities at the following locations: Hendersonville, NC Store 1242 250 Highlands Square Dr., Hendersonville, NC 28792 Portable restrooms Serving hot meals at 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily Arden, NC Store 1179 60 Airport Rd., Arden, NC 28704 Portable restrooms Laundry Showers Wi-fi hotspot and charging stations Buncombe County Buncombe County has begun water distribution at multiple sites. Each will be available daily from 1:00 -7:00 p.m.: Pack Square Park - you MUST bring your own container for this site 80 Court Plz., Asheville, NC 28801 William W. Estes Elementary School 275 Overlook Rd., Asheville, NC 28803 Sand Hill-Venable Elementary 154 Sand Hill School Rd., Asheville, NC 28806 North Windy Ridge Intermediate School 20 Doan Rd., Weaverville, NC 28787 Fairview Elementary 1355 Charlotte Hwy., Fairview, NC 28730 The following feeding sites are available in Buncombe County, where citizens can access food, water and other basic necessities: Biltmore Baptist Church 35 Clayton Rd., Arden, NC 28704 Distribution and bulk pickup for volunteers looking to take bulk loads of supplies to in-need community members Saturday hours: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Community drive-thru for anyone in the community needing supplies Saturday hours: 3:00-6:00 p.m. First Baptist Church – Weaverville 63 N. Main St., Weaverville, NC 28787 Hot showers available from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Unlimited clean drinking water is available, bring your own container. Supplies and bottled water. Hot lunch served at 1:30 p.m. Fellowship Asheville 756 Fairview Rd., Asheville, NC 28803 Daily hours: 12:00-4:00 p.m., Monday-Friday Hot meals are available at the following locations: World Central Kitchen in Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ 135 Coxe Ave., Asheville, NC 28801 Serves 25,000 hot meals a day. Daily hours: 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. Shiloh Community Center 121 Shiloh Rd., Asheville, NC 28803 Daily hours: 12:00-2:00 p.m. Grovemont Park 251 Stonewall Ave., Swannanoa, NC 28778 Daily hours: 12:00-2:00 p.m. Manna Food Bank - Farmer’s Market 570 Brevard Rd., Asheville, NC 28806 Daily hours: 12:00-2:00 p.m. Wesley Grant Community Center 285 Livingston St., Asheville, NC 28801 Daily hours: 12:00-2:00 p.m. West Asheville Ingles 669 Haywood Rd., Asheville, NC 28806 Daily hours: 3:00-5:00 p.m. Black Mountain Ingles 550 NC-9, Black Mountain, NC 28711 Daily Hours: 12:00-2:00 p.m. Nesbitt Chapel 12 Nesbitt Chapel Rd., Fairview, NC 28730 Daily hours: 3:00-5:00 p.m. Food and drinking water are available from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily at the following locations: Asheville Middle School 211 S. French Broad Ave., Asheville, NC 28801 Ingles 550 NC-9, Black Mountain, NC 28711 This location also has handwashing stations and portable restrooms Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center 121 Shiloh Rd., Asheville, NC 28803 Lucy Herring Elementary 98 Sulphur Springs Rd., Asheville, NC 28806 Oakley Elementary School 753 Fairvew Rd., Asheville, NC 28803 A Community Care Station is available at the following location: 2319 Hwy. 70, Swannanoa, NC 28778 Daily hours: 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Hot meals served daily: 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Community Care Stations offer showers, laundry, bathrooms, access to cell towers, wi-fi, potable and non-potable water, and counseling. Haywood County The following locations are providing community members with essential resources such as but not limited to, food, water, cleaning products, baby formula, and pet food, Monday through Fridays: Fines Creek Community Center 190 Fines Creek Rd., Clyde, NC 28721 Open every day until 6:00 p.m. Pigeon Community Center 450 Pigeon St., Waynesville, NC 28786 Also offering hot meals every day at 2:00 p.m. Daily Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Cruso Community Center 13186 Cruso Rd., Canton, NC 28716 Daily Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. First United Methodist Church 566 S. Haywood St., Waynesville, NC 28786 Includes shower access. Daily Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Maggie Valley Pavilion 3935 Soco Rd., Maggie Valley, NC 28751 Daily Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Woodland Baptist Church 545 Crabtree Rd., Waynesville, NC 28786 Daily Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Bethel Elementary School 4700 Old River Rd., Canton, NC 28716 Daily Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Jonathan Valley Elementary School 410 Hall Dr., Waynesville, NC 28786 Daily Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church - in the Parish Hall 234 Church St., Waynesville, NC 28786 Daily Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday Hot food available from 4:00 p.m. to 7 :00 p.m. daily. St. Barnabas Catholic Church 109 Crescent Hill Rd., Arden, NC 28704 Daily Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Reynolds Baptist Church - Family Life Center 520 Rose Hill Rd., Asheville, NC 28803 Daily Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This location also has potable water available to residents who bring their own vessels to fill. Mountain Projects 2177 Asheville Rd., Waynesville, NC 28786 Heart to Heart International - in Haywood Department of Health Parking Lot 157 Paragon Pkwy., Ste. 800, Clyde, NC 28721 The following location offers hot meals daily: Maggie Valley Fire Department 2901 Soco Rd., Maggie Valley, NC 28751 Jukebox Junction 3606 Pigeon Rd., Canton, NC 28806 Daily hours: 12:00-2:00 p.m. The following location offers showers daily from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.: Calvary Baptist Church 2701 Soco Rd., Maggie Valley, NC 28751 The following location is offering supplies for horses and livestock: WNC Regional Livestock Center 474 Stock Dr., Canton, NC 28716 Henderson County Henderson County has stood up Resource Hub locations for water distribution and other supplies as they become available. Distribution will be taking place daily from 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. at the following locations: Etowah Elementary: 320 Etowah School Rd., Etowah, NC 28729 Mills River Town Hall: 124 Town Center Dr., Mills River, NC 28759 Each family unit will be provided supplies for one day’s meal and water as available. Individuals are asked to enter the drive-through and remain in your car unless otherwise instructed by volunteers to ensure an efficient process. Jackson County In partnership with the Red Cross, the following is available for citizens of Jackson County: The Boys & Girls Club of the Plateau are providing shelf-stable meals at the following location: 558 Frank Allen Rd., Cashiers, NC 28717 The Canada Fire Department is distributing emergency supplies at the following location: 149 Charleys Creek Rd., Tuckasegee, NC 28783 The following locations are providing resources to displaced families and individuals in need: Mountain Projects 154-B Medical Park Loop, Sylva, NC 28779 United Christian Ministries 191 Skyland Dr., Sylva, NC 28779 St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church of Sylva 22 Bartlett St., Sylva, NC 28779 Daily hours: 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Cornbread and Roses 1294 Savannah Dr., Sylva, NC 28779 Daily hours: Wednesday, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday, 12:00-2:00 p.m. Sunday, 12:00-2:00 p.m. Madison County The following locations are offering food, water, and some supply distribution in Madison County: Beech Glen Community Center 2936 Beech Glen Rd., Mars Hill, 28754 Daily hours: Unable to locate daily hours at this time. Center Community Center 1300 Grapevine Rd., Marshall, NC 28753 Daily hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Ebbs Chapel Community Center 281 Laurel Valley Rd., Mars Hill, NC 28754 Daily hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Enon Baptist Church 174 Ammons Branch Rd., Marshall, NC 28753 Open Sunday 12:00-4:00 p.m. Freedom Christian Church 7350 US 25/70 Bypass, Marshall, NC 28753 Daily hours: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. This location offers additional resources such as hygiene products, blankets, clothes, cleaning supplies, diapers, pet food, etc. Laurel Community Center - also has supplies 4100 NC 212 Hwy., Marshall, NC 28753 Daily Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Revere-Rice Community Center 3980 Revere Rd., Marshall, NC 28753 Daily hours: 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. (Mon-Sat) Spring Creek Community Center 13075 NC 209 Hwy., Hot Springs, NC 28743 Daily hours: 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. This location also has additional resources such as pet food, livestock feed and hay. Walnut Community Center - also has supplies 46 School Rd., Marshall, NC 28753 Daily hours: Unable to locate daily hours at this time. N.C. Cooperative Extension - Madison County Center 258 Carolina Ln., Marshall, NC 28753 Daily hours: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. This location is offering drive-thru food distribution only. McDowell County McDowell 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. Distribution takes place daily at the following locations: Former TJ’s Discounts - North Cove 8153 US 221 N., Marion, NC 28752 Old Fort Town Hall 38 Catawba Ave., Old Fort, NC 28762 New Manna Baptist Church 225 E. Court St., Marion, NC 28752 Solid Rock Free Will Baptist Church - Dysartsville 7860 NC 226 S., Nebo, NC 28761 Zion Hill Baptist Church 1036 Zion Hill Rd., Marion, NC 28752 Hot meals are also being provided at the following location: Grace Community Church 5182 US 70 W., Marion, NC 28752 Lunch is served every day from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dinner is available from 4:00-5:30 p.m. First Baptist Church of Marion is offering hot showers, air conditioning, and areas to charge devices. Current hours: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 2:00-5:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday. Polk County The following locations are offering food and water distribution for residents in need from 1:00-5:00 p.m.: Mill Spring/Green Creek Community 25 International Blvd., Mill Spring, NC 28756 Columbus Community 95 Walker St., Columbus, NC 28722 Saluda Community Bus Parking Lot 214 E. Main St., Saluda, NC 28773 Tryon Community 301 N. Trade St., Tryon, NC 28782 Sunny View 86 Sunny View School Rd., Mill Spring, NC 28756 The following locations are serving hot meals daily: Tryon Equestrian Center 4066 Pea Ridge Rd., Mill Spring, NC 28756 Daily hours: 12:00-2:00 p.m. Roseland Community Center 56 Peake St., Tryon, NC 28782 Daily hours: 12:00-2:00 p.m. Rutherford County The following locations are open from 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. for citizens to get food and emergency supplies: Thomas Jefferson High School 2527 US-221A Hwy., Mooresboro, NC 28114 Florence Baptist Church 201 S. Broadway St., Forest City, NC 28043 Rutherford County Health Department 221 Callahan Koon Rd., Spindale, NC 28160 Gilkey Church of God 255 Oak Springs Rd., Rutherfordton, NC 28139 Parks, Recreation, & Lake Office 658 Memorial Hwy., Lake Lure, NC 28746 Lake Lure Baptist Church 6837 US-74 ALT, Lake Lure, NC 28746 Ingles at Lake Lure - meals only 276 NC-9, Lake Lure, NC 28746 Offers hot meals at 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. and 4:30-6:30 p.m. Also offers showers, restrooms, a mobile health van, a tool trailer, a charging station (please bring your own charging cord), and wi-fi. Father’s Vineyard - also has shower and charging stations 724 Oakland Rd., Spindale, NC 28160 Spencer Baptist Church - water distribution only 187 N Oak St., Spindale, NC 28160 United Way of Rutherford County - water distribution and charging stations only 668 Withrow Rd., Forest City, NC 28043 Transylvania County The following locations are providing hot meals to county residents: Cedar Mountain Community Center 10635 Greenville Hwy., Cedar Mountain, NC 28718 Breakfast hours: 9:00-11:00 a.m. Lunch hours: 12:00-2:00 p.m. Dinner hours: 4:00-6:00 p.m. Balsam Grove Community Center - daily until power is fully restored 8732 Parkway Rd., Balsam Grove, NC 28708 Daily hours: 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.Resource pick-up locations are listed below by county. As I learn more, I will keep you posted: Bottled water is available daily at local fire departments and 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Anchor Baptist Church located at: 3232 Hendersonville Hwy., Pisgah Forest, NC 28768 Water filling stations can be found at the following locations: City Sports Complex 824 Ecusta Rd., Brevard, NC 28712 Daily hours: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Cedar Mountain Outpost 8431 Greenville Hwy., Brevard, NC 28712 No posted daily hours. Territory Brevard 43 S. Broad St, Brevard, NC 28712 No posted daily hours. DD Bullwinkles 60 E. Main St., Brevard, NC 28712 No posted daily hours. First United Methodist Church 325 N. Broad St., Brevard, NC 28712 Daily hours: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Pisgah Forest Baptist Church 494 Hendersonville Hwy., Pisgah Forest, NC 28768 Daily hours: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Food, water, and other supplies such as hygiene products are being distributed at the following locations: Anchor Baptist Church 3232 Hendersonville Hwy., Pisgah Forest, NC 28768 Daily hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Yancey County Yancey County has transitioned to one centralized distribution site for water, food and ice located at the following address: Altec 150 Altec Rd., Burnsville, NC 28714 Mobile laundry facilities are available in the GO Grocery parking lot located at the following address: 631 W Hwy. 19E Bypass, Burnsville, NC 28714 Trash Services and Debris Removal Recycling services are available through Curbside Management for the following counties: Buncombe Clay Graham Haywood Henderson Jackson Macon Madison Polk Rutherford Yancey Some communities have halted recycling services to prioritize trash collection. If that is the case for your community, Curbside Management has a drop-off site available for residents who wish to bring their recycling to the following location: 116 N. Woodfin Ave., Asheville, NC 28804 If your home has damage and you need assistance with clean up, please call Crisis Cleanup for access to volunteer organizations that can assist you at 844-965-1386. If Hurricane Helene caused damage to your home or belongings, make sure to document it. This is critically important in getting reimbursed. Take photos before you begin cleaning up. Make a list of damaged or lost items and gather receipts. Doing this helps speed up the process with insurance and other assistance programs, and ensures you get properly compensated. Before you start the clean-up process, remember: Wear PPE such as long pants, goggles, gloves and sturdy shoes. Stay off damaged structures. Be aware that snakes or other hazardous animals could be present. Call your local fire department to inspect or removal chemicals, propane tanks, and other hazardous materials. If you suspect debris contains toxic substances, seal them in plastic bags to prevent them from becoming airborne. To reduce the risk of accidental fires, please DO NOT burn your storm debris. Emergency personnel are continuing to work on other storm recovery and response efforts, limiting resources to respond to accidental fires. Please discard storm debris at a local transfer site or via curbside debris pickup. Debris should be placed curbside and not block the roadway or access to the property. Please place debris away from trees, poles or other structures (e.g., fire hydrants, meters, etc.) to make removal work easier. Contact your local municipality for curbside storm debris removal collection schedules or see below for additional information on debris waste removal by county. Additionally, the following counties have resources for where to take household trash and debris waste. Buncombe Curbside collection will begin Monday for City of Asheville sanitation customers. The following materials cannot be collected at this time: Mud, construction debris, concrete and other bulky or hazardous items. Debris collection is estimated to start in mid-October. The Town of Black Mountain Public Works Department has secured four 15-yard dumpsters located in two sites for Black Mountain residents to throw away household trash ONLY: Tractor Supply: 125 Old US Hwy. 70 E., Black Mountain, NC 28711 Ingles: 550 NC-9, Black Mountain, NC 28711 Please Note: Yard waste, bulk items, separate recycling and debris collection are not available at this time. Waste Pro collection service has resumed for regular Monday route customers. Haywood Household 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. White Oak Landfill has reopened. Henderson Henderson County Transfer Station is open and accepting storm debris with normal fees. Henderson County has begun curbside storm debris removal to county residents as a free service. The county will pick up storm debris for free if it is pushed to the right of way of a property. Storm debris includes tree branches, leaves, logs, building materials, furniture, paint etc. Please be patient. The county will pick up storm debris for free as quickly as possible. Madison The Hot Springs collection center is operating on normal hours for household trash ONLY: Monday: 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Wednesday: 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Friday: 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Saturday: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Hot Springs trash pickup is returning to Mondays like usual. Please only use this pickup service if you cannot bring it to the collection center yourself. The pickup service is being led by volunteers at this time. Polk The Polk County landfill is open Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and Saturday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 322 Landfill Rd., Mill Spring, NC 28756 Drop-off of residential trash is $10. GFL trash services will continue the regular schedule. However, certain areas may be inaccessible due to ongoing power outages from Hurricane Helene. Two dumpsters are located on Gibson Street for immediate trash disposal due to road inaccessibility. Transylvania The City of Brevard has resumed regular trash pickup. Yancey The Riverside and East Yancey Recycling Centers have resumed operations. Daily hours: 7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday Voter Information The North Carolina State Board of Elections has provided pertinent information and recommendations for voters in the Helene disaster area during the 2024 general election. To review information on voting in the 2024 general election after Hurricane Helene, you can follow this link. The site provides information on absentee voting, how to change your polling location if you have a new permanent address, county board of elections, office closures and more. For any additional questions on voting post-hurricane, please contact your county Board of Elections. Please note: Your county Board of Elections is the best place to get any questions answered. I have been permitted to share the above, nonpartisan information but am prohibited from answering any questions related to the 2024 general election. United States Postal Service/Mail Services USPS anticipates continued improvement of mail delivery operations with local recovery efforts, to include power, connectivity, and roads. Social Security checks are being routed to all units for delivery and/or are available for customer pick up. For impacted residents who have relocated due to the storm, please be sure to complete a change of address request at moversguide.usps.com. There are some facilities unable to provide full retail and mail delivery due to road closures and current conditions. No drop shipments will be accepted at any of the locations listed below. The following sites are closed with no retail, but delivery is being attempted where it is safe to do so: Newland - 28657 Cedar Mountain - 28718 The following sites are closed with alternative facilities listed: Alexander - 28701 Alternative location: 2350 Old Marshall Hwy., Alexander, NC 28701 Daily hours M-F: 8:00 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.; closed 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. for lunch Open Saturdays: 8:00-10:00 a.m. Bat Cave - 28710 Alternative location: 3979 Chimney Rock Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792 Daily hours M-F: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; closed 12:00-1:00 p.m. for lunch Barnardsville - 28709 Alternate location: 1664 Barnardsville Hwy., Barnardsville, NC 28709 Daily hours: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; closed from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. for lunch. Open Saturdays: 8:30-10:30 a.m. Chimney Rock - 28720 Alternate location: 2432 Memorial Hwy., Lake Lure, NC 28746 Daily hours M-F: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., closed 12:00-1:00 p.m. Edneyville - 28727 Alternate location: 3979 Chimney Rock Rd., Hendersonville, NC 28792 Daily hours M-F: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; closed 12:00-1:00 p.m. for lunch Gerton – 28735 Alternate location: 1352 Charlotte Hwy., Fairview, NC 28730 Daily Hours M-F: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Open Saturdays: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Green Mountain - 28740 Alternate location: 670 W. Main St., Burnsville, NC 28714 Daily hours M-F: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Open Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Hot Springs - 28743 111 Bridge St., Hot Springs, NC 28743 Daily hours: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; closed 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. for lunch. Open Saturdays: 9:00-10:30 a.m. Marshall - 28753 Alternate location: 100 S. Main St., Marshall, NC 28753 Daily hours M-F: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.; closed 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. for lunch. Open Saturdays: 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Micaville - 28755 Alternate location: 670 W. Main St., Burnsville, NC 28714 Daily hours M-F: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Open Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Montreat - 28757 Alternate location: 2 Tucker Rd., Ridgecrest, NC 28770 Daily hours M-F: 12:30-4:30 p.m. Penland - 28765 Alternative location: 899 Oak Ave., Spruce Pine, NC 28777 Daily hours M-F: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Open Saturdays: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Rosman - 28778 Alternate location: 272 Main St., Rosman, NC 28772 Daily hours M-F: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; closed 12:30-1:30 p.m. for lunch. Open Saturdays: 10:00-11:00 a.m. Swannanoa - 28765 Alternate location: 2311 U.S. 70 Highway, Swannanoa, NC 28778 Daily hours M-F: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. All remaining locations are attempting delivery where it is safe to do so. Pharmacy Access Pharmacy Locator Hundreds of pharmacies never closed or have reopened across Western North Carolina. Use this link to locate pharmacy locations open to the public by county. The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response under the Department of Health and Human Services has activated the Emergency Prescription Assistance Program (EPAP) for North Carolinians. The EPAP program helps uninsured residents replace prescription medication or certain medical equipment lost or damaged during Hurricane Helene. Through the program, uninsured residents can: Request a free 30-day supply of certain prescription medications at any EPAP-participating pharmacy which can be renewed every 30 days while the EPAP is active. Replace certain medical equipment and supplies such as canes, crutches, walkers, wheelchairs, blood sugar meters and blood sugar test strips for diabetics. Uninsured North Carolina residents affected by the recent hurricane can call the EPAP hotline, 855-793-7470, or visit the EPAP website to check their eligibility, determine if their medications or medical equipment are covered, or locate a participating pharmacy. Prescription Pad is open from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and filling prescriptions for Yancey County residents at the following location: 730 E. Main St., Burnsville, NC 28714 Open Urgent Cares/ Health Care Services There is a field hospital with physicians, nurses and paramedics who can treat patients at the Burnsville Fire Department. The address is as follows: 305 Pineola St., Burnsville, NC 28714 The following urgent cares are open and accessible for community members with non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries: Locations open between 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.: Mercy Urgent Care Weaverville 61 Weaver Blvd., Weaverville, NC 28787 Mercy Urgent Care West Asheville 1201 Patton Ave., Asheville, NC 28806 Mercy Urgent Care Waynesville 120 Frazier St., Ste. 6, Waynesville, NC 28786 Locations open between 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.: Mercy Urgent Care Brevard 22 Trust Ln., Brevard, NC 28712 Locations open between 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.: Mercy Urgent Care Columbus 140 West Mills St., Columbus, NC 28722 Locations open between 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.: Mobile Urgent Care Clinic 12 Florida Ave., Black Mountain, NC 28711 Mental Health & Basic Medical Support Center 130 Montreat Rd., Black Mountain, NC 28711 Pardee Urgent Care 45 Hendersonville Hwy., Ste. A, Pisgah Forest, NC 28768 Free mental health services - All available for drop-in Care Collaborative for Western North Carolina Clinicians is a partnership among more than 200 mental health professionals volunteering to provide free mental health services for Hurricane Helene survivors. Services are provided virtually, and you can follow this link to find a professional that fits your needs and their contact information to schedule a session. Hot Springs Elementary School - Art Room 63 N. Serpentine Ave., Hot Springs, NC 28743 Daily hours: 12:00-5:00 p.m. The Pearl Institute 55 Academy St., Waynesville, NC Daily hours: 12:00-6:00 p.m. (Monday-Friday) Free telehealth appointments are also available. To book a telehealth appointment, you can email info@pearlpsychedelicinstitute.org or call/text (828) 400-7091 Community Support Group 221 Mills Ave., Brevard, NC 28712 Mary C. Jenkins Community & Cultural Center Hosted by the City of Brevard, AARP, and Blue Ridge Community College 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. on October 14, 28, and November 18. All University of North Carolina System students have access to free mental health through their university. Please monitor your student email for more information on how to access these services. The following orthopedic urgent care locations are open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily, physical therapy appointments are also available at each of these locations: EmergeOrtho Hendersonville 800 Fleming St., Hendersonville, NC 28791 EmergeOrtho Arden (South Asheville) 2585 Hendersonville Rd., Arden, NC 28704 EmergeOrtho Waynesville 9 Haywood Office Park, Ste. 102 and 103, Waynesville, NC 28785 EmergeOrtho Brevard 89 Hospital Dr., Ste. A, Brevard, NC 28712 EmergeOrtho Weaverville 159 Weaver Blvd., Weaverville, NC 28787 Dialysis Locations The following location is open and available for dialysis treatments in NC-11: Pardee Hospital 800 N. Justice St., Hendersonville, NC 28791 This location can dialyze 30 patients a day. DaVita Kidney Care nurses are reaching out to their patients to coordinate treatment, but the following DaVita locations are available: DaVita Greer South Dialysis 3254 Brushy Greek Rd., Greer, SC 29650 Contact Number: (864) 801-2065 DaVita Saluda River Dialysis 8080 Augusta Rd., Piedmont, SC 29673 Contact Number: (833) 378-2702 DaVita Wofford at Home 8024 White Ave., Spartanburg, SC 29303 Contact Number: (864) 583-4788 DaVita Boiling Springs Dialysis 196 Sloane Garden Rd., Boiling Springs, SC 29316 Contact Number: (833) 458-4809 Oxygen Locations Hendersonville High School 1 Bearcat Blvd., Hendersonville, NC 28791 Must be assessed through Pardee Hospital. Lincare is only serving established patients. Patients must bring in empty tanks to one of the following locations: Asheville Lincare 103 Elk Park Dr., Asheville, NC 28804 Fax number: (866) 234-6698 Greenville Lincare 355 Woodruff Rd., Ste. 204 and 205, Greenville, SC 29607 Fax Number: (864) 288-0339 The following locations are available for oxygen refills, but patients must bring their own oxygen equipment - fire departments are available 24/7: Boiling Springs Fire Department 186 Rainbow Lake Rd., Boiling Springs, SC 29316 Reidville Fire Department 7450 Reidville Rd., Woodruff, SC 29388 Inman City Fire Department 6 Humphrey St., Inman, SC 29349 First Presbyterian Church 393 E. Main St., Spartanburg, SC 29302 Daily hours: 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Greer Relief Indigo Hope Neighborhood Impact Center 113C Berry Ave., Greer, SC 29651 Daily hours: 2:00-5:00 p.m. Croft Fire Department 370 Cedar Springs Rd., Spartanburg, SC 29302 Arkwright Fire Department 1070 Southport Rd., Spartanburg, SC 29306 Roebuck Fire Department 2639 Stone Station Rd., Roebuck, SC 29376\ North Spartanburg Fire Department 8767 Asheville Hwy., Spartanburg, SC 29316 Resources for Veterans The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs launched a new web page with disaster relief resources, providing a single place for veterans and their caregivers to access VA resources on health care, housing, benefits payments, insurance, and more. You can access the web site via this link. The VA has established a Veterans Disaster Response Hotline, which is available 24/7 at 1(800) 507-4571. If you or a veteran you know needs immediate housing assistance after Hurricane Helene, please call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at (877) 424-3838. The call center is open 24/7. If you have a VA-backed home loan and are unable to make your mortgage payments, please contact your mortgage servicer. You can also call the VA at (877) 827-3702, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Home loan servicers are allowed to put a 90-day pause on foreclosures and encouraged to waive late charges for VA-guaranteed home loans after a disaster. Legionnaires, Sons of the American Legion members and Legion Posts that have been displaced from their primary residence due to damage sustained during Hurricane Helene may be eligible for financial assistance through the American Legion. Legionnaires and Sons of the American Legion members may be eligible for up to $3,000. Legion Posts may be eligible for up to $10,000. To learn more or to request assistance, please use this link. Applications must be submitted within 90 days of the disaster: Dec. 26, 2024. The Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville and Master Sergeant Jerry K. Crump VA Clinic in Forest City are open for essential and emergency services. Veterans can: Visit the Asheville VA Hospital pharmacy for medication refills or: Call the Regional Clinical Contact Center at (855) 679-0074 and press 1 for pharmacy representatives. Local pharmacies in the VA’s community care network will also fill written prescriptions, or prescriptions as they appear on an active VA prescription bottle that is not older than six months and has available refills, to provide a 30-day supply. Hickory, Forest City and Franklin outpatient VA clinics are now operating regularly. Due to the damage and personal losses caused by Hurricane Helene to the staff of the VA, it will take some time to bring staffing to full capacity. Please be patient as the VA works to rebuild their workforce. Resources for Farmers The United States Department of Agriculture has put together a list of resources for farmers and other agricultural industry members. If your agricultural operation has been impacted by Hurricane Helene, you can review this link, farmers.gov, for emergency and disaster assistance programs. Power Just under 17,000 customers remain without power in Western North Carolina. Roughly 96 percent of all originally reported power outages have been restored in Western North Carolina. Duke Energy is providing restoration updates via text to all customers that remain without power. NCDOT crews are coordinating closely with power companies to ensure service is being restored as quickly as possible, including along private roads, keeping in mind that cold months are approaching fast. Restoration of service for individuals in the disaster rebuild zones will be a longer process but Duke Energy workers have already made substantial progress on the extremely difficult and targeted work that lies ahead. For more information on Duke Energy’s power restoration efforts, you can review the following links: Complex Repair & Disaster Rebuild Zones Map: duke-energy.com/info/carolinas-restoration Outage Map: duke-energy.com/outages Outage Alerts: duke-energy.com/outages/alerts Generator safety: duke-energy.com/outages/generators Power restoration process: duke-energy.com/outages/restoring-your-power Roads A “DO NOT DRIVE” message remains in place from the North Carolina Department of Transportation for most of Western North Carolina. Unless it is an emergency, please do not travel to the hardest hit communities. Cherokee, Graham, Clay, Swain, Macon, Haywood, Transylvania and Jackson counties ARE FULLY OPEN to non-essential travel for people who can access them through safe routes. Please DO NOT try to visit or travel through the areas hardest hit by the storm. Non-essential traffic in impacted areas hinders NCDOT’s efforts to reopen roads. Henderson, Polk and Rutherford counties are each partially open to non-essential travel. To monitor road conditions in and around NC-11, use drivenc.gov. The website tracks NCDOT-managed road conditions in real time. Cut and shove, debris removal, and damage assessment are winding down, and some locations have transitioned to temporary repairs and reconstruction. Transportation infrastructure damage estimates from assessments are up to several billion dollars. Repairs and reconstruction of roadways will be an extremely long road (no pun intended) over the next couple of years to return Western NC’s transportation network to what it was before. NCDOT crews and contractors have reopened 575 roads so far. Roughly 653 roads remain closed in Western NC, 108 of which are primary routes. This number is still rapidly changing as communications improve and NCDOT reaches new sites. About 100 of the closed roads are along primary routes. USDOT approved an initial $100 million in Emergency Repair funds to NCDOT. Damage to our mountain roads exceeds $100 million but USDOT’s investment is a significant and most welcome start. NCDOT has stated they will be utilizing the $100 million to supplement ongoing efforts in Western North Carolina - this is what I would have hoped the funds are going to be used for, but their public statement is a welcome confirmation of their commitment to restore transportation networks in our mountains. NCDOT has awarded a $10 million contract to Wright Brothers Construction of Charleston, TN, to stabilize the westbound lanes of I-40 by drilling soil nails where the eastbound lanes no longer exist. The contract includes incentives to be complete by January 4, 2025. Around the time this operation concludes, plans for a larger, complex, and complete repair will be in progress. NC DMV has reopened 11 of the 16 driver license offices that were closed due to Hurricane Helene. The following DMV offices are open for walk-in services in or near NC-11, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed between 11:30 a.m. through 1:00 p.m. for a lunch break: Burke County - Closest open location for McDowell and Yancey County residents 115 Government Dr., Morganton, NC 28655 Cherokee County 1440 Main St., Andrews, NC 28901 Haywood County 290 Lee Rd., Clyde, NC 28721 Henderson County 125 Baystone Dr., Hendersonville, NC 28791 Jackson County 876 Skyland Dr., Ste. 2, Sylva, NC 28779 Macon County 16 Patton Ave., Franklin, NC 28734 Rutherford County 596 Withrow Rd., Forest City, NC 28043 Swain County 2650 Governors Island Rd., Bryson City, NC 28713 Transylvania County 50 Commerce St., Ste. 4, Brevard, NC 28712 All but five license plate agencies have reopened. Air traffic has sustained at 300 percent above pre-hurricane levels in Western NC. NCDOT’s aviation division continue to work to make sure flight operations are safe coming into and out of airports, including by: Scheduling landing/unloading times and aircraft parking so aircraft are spaced out and to reduce the risk of incidents. Establishing a first of its kind “corridors in the sky” to separate civilian and military aircraft in the air. Having search and rescue partners use short, time and location specific restrictions on air operations to enhance safety when multiple helicopters are engaged in search and rescue efforts. The state of North Carolina is NOT turning away civil aviation support so long as it has been coordinated through the proper channels with NC Emergency Management. If you or someone you know is interested in providing civil aviation support and don’t know where to coordinate your efforts, please call my office and we will help you get in touch with the right folks. NCDOT has launched a detour map to show motorists how to get around closures on I-26 and I-40 at the Tennessee border. You can access the map here. Internet Access Internet providers are working with local energy and cell providers to restore service for customers across Western North Carolina. SpaceX is offering free monthly Starlink service for 30 days to any household or entity located in the disaster area. To apply for this free service, residents can go to starlink.com/residential and select the “Helene Relief” service plan at check out. Internet providers including Optimum and Spectrum are working around the clock to restore service for customers. However, part of the network’s infrastructure was destroyed by mudslides and collapsed bridges making restoration a lengthy process. As a result, some impacted areas will require a rebuild of the network from scratch. To mitigate the lack of service, Optimum, formerly Altice USA, has set up an Optimum Wi-Fi Trailer that is open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the following locations: 717 S. Grove St., Hendersonville, NC 28792 1800 Four Seasons Blvd., Hendersonville, NC 28792 The following locations are offering free public wi-fi: First Baptist Church - Weaverville 63 N. Main St, Weaverville, NC 28787 Downtown Franklin The Town of Franklin has free wi-fi on the town hill area in downtown. Transylvania County Library - 24/7 212 S. Gaston St., Brevard, NC 28712 The Yard Brevard 284 Railroad Ave., Brevard, NC 28712 Brevard Visitor Center 175 E. Main St., Brevard, NC 28712 Available daily from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Cell Service More than 93 percent of all cellular sites in Western North Carolina have been repaired and are now in service. Cell service providers have implemented disaster roaming for any phone located in Western North Carolina to maximize phone service for all users. Disaster roaming allows users to connect to any mobile network during a disaster when other networks are down. This allows users to access emergency services, such as 911, even when their own network is out. If you have service one moment, but experience a reduction in service the next, try restarting your phone to jumpstart disaster roaming again. UpCycle Tech in Transylvania County is offering free computers and phones for use at the following location: 470 Asheville Hwy., Brevard, NC 28712 AT&T has deployed its Mobile Connectivity Center to the following location: Sam’s Club: 645 Patton Ave., Asheville, NC 28806 The Mobile Connectivity Center is an air-conditioned mobile unit open to the public, equipped with laptops, charging stations and wi-fi. The public can use the center for various needs including contacting your insurance company, filling out paperwork or connecting with loved ones. Verizon has deployed Wireless Emergency Communication Centers to help hurricane survivors stay connected to their friends, family and other important contacts. Wireless Emergency Communication Centers are generator-powered mobile units that have device charging and computer workstations, along with wireless phones, tablets, and other devices available for use. Verizon’s Wireless Emergency Communication Centers have been set up at the following locations: A-B Technical Community College 340 Victoria Rd., Asheville, NC 28801 Asheville YMCA 30 Woodfin St., Asheville, NC 28801 Family Justice Center 35 Woodfin St., Asheville, NC 28801 Groce United Methodist Church 954 Tunnel Rd., Asheville, NC 28805 Verizon also has charging stations at the following locations: YMCA of Western North Carolina 348 Grace Corpening Dr., Marion, NC 28752 Two charging stations at this location WNC Agricultural Center 761 Boylston Hwy., Fletcher, NC 28732 Three charging stations at this location A-B Technical Community College 340 Victoria Rd., Asheville, NC 28801 One charging station at this location T-Mobile has set up satellite cellular on light trucks (SatCOLTs), providing cellular voice and data along with wi-fi and charging stations at the following locations: Asheville Middle School 211 S. French Broad Ave., Asheville, NC 28801 Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center 285 Livingston St., Asheville, NC 28801 First Baptist Church 130 Montreat Rd., Black Mountain, NC 28711 Additional T-Mobile satellite cell on trucks are 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. North Carolina National Guard & Department of Defense Almost 3,700 National Guard soldiers and airmen, active-duty service members, and 200 Emergency Management Assistance Compact units (National Guard units from out of state) are deployed across Western North Carolina to provide support. This includes: Nearly 1,300 vehicles 26 Helicopters As search and rescue needs diminish and roads are being cleared and restored, the need for aerial support is decreasing and ground vehicles are becoming an increasingly more effective means of support. Highlights from the last 24 hours: NCNG soldiers conducted commodity distribution, including medical resupply and route clearance, across eight counties. Opened several routes to secluded communities in Haywood County. Conducted aerial video reconnaissance of Lake Logan Dam in Canton, NC. Although airspace is limited due to ongoing missions by the National Guard and Department of Defense, a process has been established for private pilots seeking to fly in humanitarian relief to coordinate with local authorities. If you are looking to fly in resources and don’t know where to turn, call my office and we will get you in contact with the right coordinators. Here are a few key phone numbers from the NCNG: HOTLINE: 888-892-1162 Emergency management watch: 919-733-3300 Donated goods: 919-825-2474 These lines have very high call volumes. If you do not get through the first try, keep calling. Asheville Regional Airport Asheville Regional Airport closed mid-day on Friday, September 27, due to risk of flooding. Commercial flights at Asheville Regional Airport have resumed. If 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’s lots flooded and all cars are fine. Stay safe and pick up your car when you are able. PLEASE NOTE: No general aviation pilots are allowed to land at Asheville Regional Airport without prior clearance from FEMA to ensure the safety of aircraft and personnel. Supply deliveries by civilian pilots ARE permitted to land at Asheville Regional Airport so long as they have prior clearance from FEMA. FEMA is not turning away any pilot that has gone through the proper channels to coordinate delivery and ensure the safety of his fellow aircraft and personnel. Federal Nutrition Programs The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service has approved flexibilities due to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. SNAP North Carolina was granted a waiver for the 10-day reporting requirement for the replacement of food purchased with SNAP benefits lost because of the hurricane. This waiver provides additional time beyond the standard 10-day time frame for households to report food losses and receive replacement benefits for food that was destroyed and previously purchased with SNAP benefits. Child Nutrition The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction was approved for a waiver pertaining to the child nutrition programs. Under the waiver approval, NCDPI’s local program operators may: Serve meals in a non-congregate setting Adjust the time of meal service Allow parent pick-up Allow service of meals at school sites Food and Nutrition Services Program People and families in North Carolina who are enrolled in the Food and Nutrition Services program can now use their EBT card to purchase hot food. This flexibility will remain in effect until November 3. Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) Families participating in WIC who may have relocated to a new area can go to any NC WIC agency to: Have a new eWIC card issued Request replacement breastfeeding supplies or breast pumps Request replacement food that was purchased with current WIC benefits and lost due to Hurricane Helene For NC-11 Medical Providers If you own a medical practice in NC-11 and are experiencing financial hardship due to Hurricane Helene, the North Carolina Medical Society is reactivating its Financial Recovery Program (FRP) to help you recover and open your doors again. For more information on the disaster relief fund, you can visit this link. Details on how medical practices can qualify and apply for funds will be coming soon. The Department of Health and Human Services through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has made available: Accelerated payments to Medicare Part A providers affected by Hurricane Helene Advance payments to Medicare Part B suppliers affected by Hurricane Helene For Local Government Resource Requests For 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. My 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. Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) The deadline to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance benefits is Dec. 2, 2024 for all counties other than Swain County. Swain County’s deadline is Dec. 9, 2024. This is because Swain County was added to the list of eligible DUA counties one week after all other counties were designated as eligible. Disaster Unemployment Assistance benefits are now available for Western North Carolinians in counties with a major disaster declaration, including: Buncombe Clay Haywood Henderson Jackson Macon Madison McDowell Polk Rutherford Swain Transylvania Yancey If your employment has been lost or interrupted because of Hurricane Helene, you may be eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance. File an application for DUA: File at des.nc.gov, or Call over the phone at (919) 629-3857 A toll-free legal aid hotline is now available for low-income survivors with disaster-related legal questions: (866) 219-5262. For Individual Assistance through FEMA The deadline to file for FEMA Individual Assistance is Nov. 27, 2024. Please mark your calendars and ensure all applications are submitted on time. North Carolina received a Major Disaster Declaration for the following counties: Buncombe, Clay, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania and Yancey counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. People 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. Funds 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. Individual 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 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. EST. To date, FEMA has paid out more than $92 million in housing and other types of assistance for more than 71,000 Western North Carolina households. FEMA is also directly paying hotels for emergency sheltering for more than 1,800 households through FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance. Find steps to help you replace important documents that were lost or damaged in the storm: www.fema.gov/disaster/4827/news-media If you were initially denied for Individual Assistance, please see below for useful tips to help you file an appeal with FEMA: Understand why FEMA denied your claim before writing the appeal. It could be as simple as a missing document, which you can submit with your appeal. Read FEMA’s letter from beginning to end to completely understand what the agency needs from you. Make sure you provide evidence for your appeal. Depending on your situation, documentation may include: A copy of your flood insurance declaration page. Proof of occupancy, which could be an employer statement, lease, utility bill, credit card statement, or other recent, formal document that states your address. Proof of ownership, which might include your mortgage or insurance documents, tax receipts, deed, etc. Can’t write the appeal yourself? I recommend having a trusted friend, family member, or lawyer write it for you. Know your deadline. You have 60 days from the date of your FEMA determination letter to appeal. Circle the deadline on your calendar or write yourself a note to keep the date in the forefront. Once FEMA reviews your letter, you may receive a phone call or a follow-up letter asking for more documentation. Don’t forget to sign your appeal letter! Once signed, there are three ways to submit your appeal: Fax it to (800) 827-8112 Send it by mail to: FEMA Processing Service Center, P.O. Box 10055, Hyattsville, MD 20782 Upload all appeal documents to your disasterassistance.gov account. Include your application number on every page of the documents you submit. Expect a decision letter to your appeal within 90 days. To Connect with a Loved One Residents 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. 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). Please only use 911 for life-threatening emergencies so the lines remain open for critical situations. If you are still trying to locate a friend or family member, please complete this form to notify local officials of their missing status. The form was created by Buncombe County but information is being shared amongst all counties. Regardless of which county your loved one was last known to be in, you can still submit the form. Buncombe County will share the information with the appropriate officials to initiate search and rescue efforts. United Way is also fielding missing person/welfare check requests. Text PERSON to 40403 to add a loved one to search and rescue efforts or fill out this form. Resources for Utility & Other Status Updates For 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. Drinking Water Systems: Public Water Supply Situation Report Tracking Debris Disposal Sites: Active Temporary Debris Disposal Sites NCDEQ Situation Report Tracking System NCDPS Hurricane Helene - Storm Information NCDPS County Emergency Management Agencies How to Apply for FEMA Assistance After Hurricane Helene Free Legal Assistance Legal Aid of North Carolina stands ready to provide free advice and legal counsel regarding natural disaster needs, including legal representation if necessary, including for civil legal issues involving: Filing FEMA claims and appeals (a process which can be overwhelmingly bureaucratic and burdensome) Replacement of lost or destroyed legal and government documents, including driver’s licenses and identification cards Medical and insurance claims Home repair contracts Utility disputes related to restoration of services Consumer protection issues like construction fraud, price-gouging on repairs and identity theft Housing issues such as unlawful eviction and foreclosures Bankruptcy Probate and clearing title for survivors living in generational homes without a clear title Family law cases and children in need of services (unfortunately, domestic violence tends to rise following a natural disaster) If you need civil legal assistance, please contact Legal Aid of North Carolina via the following toll-free hotline: (866) 219-LANC or (866) 219-5262 The hotline is available from: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; and 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Monday and Thursdays. Constituents can also apply online at legalaidnc.org/get-help/ between 1:00-4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday. IRS Guidance for Taxpayers Impacted by Hurricane Helene Extension of certain tax filing deadlines: IRS has extended various filing deadlines for taxpayers in impacted areas, including 2024 individual/business returns, certain quarterly estimated income tax payments, and certain payroll/excise taxes. Click here for the full list of extensions and respective dates Click here for more information from the IRS on disaster assistance Tax relief for qualified payments, disaster-related losses: IRS released provided guidance to taxpayers on how to address disaster-related losses in their 2024 tax return, as well as providing guidance on how qualified disaster relief payments - like government assistance payments - are generally excluded from gross income. Click here for a general walkthrough of these policies (under header “Additional tax relief”) Click here for more information on tax treatment of disaster-related losses Click here for more information on tax treatment of qualified disaster relief payments Disaster payments are usually tax-free: Qualified disaster relief payments are generally excluded from gross income. In general, this means that affected taxpayers can exclude the following payments from a government agency from their gross income. Amounts received for: Reasonable and necessary personal, family, living or funeral expenses. The repair or rehabilitation of your home. The repair or replacement of your home’s contents. You may be eligible for a disaster loss deduction: In some instances, individuals and businesses in a federally declared disaster area can qualify for a casualty loss tax deduction. The deduction is available for damaged or destroyed property not covered by insurance or other reimbursement and can result in a larger refund. Taxpayers can choose to claim the deduction on either the return for the year the loss occurred (in this instance, the 2024 return normally filed next year), or the return for the prior year (the 2023 return filed this year). For individual taxpayers, the deadline for making this election is Oct. 15, 2025. The IRS also has a special hotline specifically dedicated to taxpayers with disaster-related tax questions. Disaster victims can call the agency’s disaster hotline at (866) 562-5227. Shelters For 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 12: Buncombe County A-B Technical Community College 340 Victoria Rd., Asheville, NC 28801 Gold’s Gym 801 Fairview Rd, Asheville, NC 28803 WNC Agricultural Center 1301 Fanning Bridge Rd., Fletcher, NC 28732 Haywood County Haywood County Government Armory 285 Armory Dr., Clyde, NC 28781 Henderson County East Henderson High School 150 Eagle Pride Dr., East Flat Rock, NC 28728 Henderson County Recreation Center 708 S. Grove St., Hendersonville, NC 28792 Madison County Madison Early College High School 5374 US Hwy 25-70, Marshall, NC 28755 McDowell County McDowell County Senior Center 100 Spaulding Rd., Marion, NC 28752 Rutherford County Rutherfordton Presbyterian Church 252 N. Washington St., Rutherfordton, NC 28139 Transylvania County Transylvania Parks & Rec 1078 Ecusta Rd., Brevard, NC 28712 Yancey County Blue Ridge Elementary 910 Cane River School Rd., Burnsville, NC 28714 Carolina Cruiser mobile office hours In keeping with my office's motto of being "First in Constituent Services" and to help constituents post-Hurricane Helene, the latest Carolina Cruiser mobile office hours are available. Folks can stop by to share their thoughts on issues that matter to them or ask for assistance with federal agencies. Visit my website for updated Carolina Cruiser hours and locations, linked here. With my warmest regards, Chuck Edwards Member of Congress | 1 | 2026-03-30T01:40:41Z | 2026-04-07T21:57:20Z |