NC Congressman Edwards Disaster Response Update #13

Written By GMCNCPAC .

Dear Jeffery,

Although we are still in the thick of meeting immediate recovery needs across Western North Carolina, I wanted to take a step back today to request that everyone keep the people of Florida in your thoughts and prayers.

We know all too well the devastation and worry that Hurricane Milton is bringing to the people of Florida, and even though we are not in a place to be sending equipment, manpower, and vital resources, we are in a place to sympathize with their circumstances - which are much like our circumstances were two weeks ago - and to pray that Milton does not bring the same level of destruction to central Florida as Helene brought to Western North Carolina.

Florida is not new to hurricanes, and because of that, the state has been an ally for NC-11 over the past two weeks. Florida has sent manpower, temporary bridges, and other supplies to our mountains to support us in our recovery. Now it is time that we express our support.

No matter how much damage Milton leaves in his wake, the close timing of both storms means one thing will be true: North Carolina and Florida are in this together.

This update includes new resources for veterans, information on a $273 million relief package from the North Carolina General Assembly, where to find the Disaster Recovery Center in Buncombe County for FEMA assistance, and where to test your drinking water.

Today is update number 13, with more information to come in the following days. As always, please make sure to read everything and share it with your friends and family.

FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Sites

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.

  • Yesterday, both chambers of the North Carolina General Assembly unanimously passed the Disaster Recovery Act of 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

Trash Services and Debris Removal

  • If your home has damages 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 of 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.

        • There will be no recycling pick up until the recycling plant is operational.

        • Residents can use both recycling and trash carts for household waste.

          • 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:

      • Waste Pro collection service has resumed for regular Monday route customers.

        • Recycling services are currently suspending while repair work is underway at the recycling process facility.

    • 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.

      • GFL trash services will continue on 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.

  • 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

        • Barnardsville - 28709

        • Chimney Rock - 28720

        • Edneyville - 28727

        • Gerton – 28735

        • Green Mountain - 28740

        • Hot Springs - 28743

        • 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

        • 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

      • All remaining locations are attempting delivery where it is safe to do so.

    • Multiple United Parcel Service (UPS) sites continue to be affected by power, flooding, and downed trees/power and lines/storm related obstacles.

      • The Hendersonville and Asheville UPS buildings are currently operational and are being powered by portable generators.

      • Delivery of packages in these areas is increasing as road conditions improve daily.

Pharmacy Access

  • 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 as of Friday, October 4.

    • 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

  • For individuals able to safely travel to fill a prescription, the following CVS locations are open:

  • You can also use this link to locate non-CVS pharmacy locations open to the public by county.

  • How to Acquire a Prescription:

    • If a store is closed, you can still call the number and the pharmacy’s phone lines have been rerouted to a nearby CVS Pharmacy that is open to help patients access their prescriptions.

    • Patients can visit any CVS Pharmacy for assistance with immediate prescription needs.

Open Urgent Cares/ Health Care Services

Dialysis Locations

Oxygen Locations

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.

  • 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 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.

  • The Asheville VA Medical Center has successfully contacted over 91 percent of veterans most at risk for injury or poor outcomes due to the storm.

    • Additional outreach to those who have not yet been contacted is ongoing.

  • The Asheville VA Medical Center’s water supply is stable due to a schedule of eight 6,000-gallon tanker trucks bringing in water.

    • To make sure the VA water supply remains stable, an emergency contract for well water and a disinfection service that will be operational as a backup water source in about two to three weeks have both been procured.

Resources for Farmers

  • The United States Department of Agriculture is beginning to 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 and Gas

  • Fewer than 99,000 customers remain without power in Western North Carolina.

    • Duke Energy is providing restoration updates via text to all customers that remain without power.

  • Restoration of service for customers in complex repair zones is anticipated by Sunday, October 13.

    • Crews are working around the clock to restore power as quickly as possible.

  • Restoration of service for individuals in the disaster rebuild zones will be a longer process but Duke Energy workers have already made substantial progress overall 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:

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 and Jackson counties ARE FULLY OPEN to 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.

  • To monitor road conditions in and around NC-11, use drivenc.gov.

    • The website tracks NCDOT-managed road conditions in real time.

  • There are still areas in Yancey County that have limited access to the state highway system.

    • This limited access may be by ATV, footbridge, or National Guard vehicles.

    • NCDOT is working to improve access to these limited areas as quickly as possible.

  • A temporary air traffic control tower has been established in Rutherford County Airport to facilitate safe movement of aircraft in the area.

  • Damage estimates from what NCDOT has been able to assess to this point are up to several billion dollars.

  • 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:

  • 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.

  • To date, more than 1,000 Starlink terminals have been deployed to assist with internet access for disaster response and relief efforts.

  • 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:

  • The following locations are offering free public wi-fi:

GMCNCPAC .
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