Thank you to Savage Freedom Relief Ops (Swannanoa, NC) for the invitation to take a closer look at what is happening in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
18 Days After Hurricane Helene: A Ground Report from Swannanoa, North Carolina
Eighteen days after Hurricane Helene made landfall, my dad and I drove to Swannanoa, North Carolina. A viewer reached out to me about a relief center there, asking me to share what’s happening on the ground. This blog post covers my observations and conversations with relief organizers, as well as specific information about FEMA’s role in the ongoing recovery efforts. I’ll share that information at the end after giving you a look at what I found with my own boots on the ground.
This post will not only provide insight on how to support those affected by disasters but also offer ideas for strengthening your own homestead and community in case of a similar event.
Swannanoa: A Hard-Hit Community
Swannanoa is just 10 miles east of Asheville, right in one of the most devastated areas of North Carolina. Hurricane Helene dumped an estimated 40 trillion gallons of water across the Southeast. Some parts of North Carolina were hit with 24 to 31 inches of rainfall over just three days.
The massive volume of water flowed off the Blue Ridge Mountains, flooding an extensive river system that covers both Western North Carolina and Tennessee. Even the narrowest streams swelled into destructive forces, tearing through homes, buildings, roads, and trees in their path. In some cases, this water even carved out entirely new canyons.
Mainstream media is projecting a death toll of around 250 and a missing persons count of 100. However, people on the ground find these figures to be significantly underestimated, although the situation is far from funny.
A Relief Center on the Front Lines
At the relief center, I saw a collaboration between volunteers, the Coast Guard, and members of the military. Multiple helicopters—both private and Coast Guard—were taking off from this location to drop supplies to communities still inaccessible by road. As I arrived, a team of military personnel and volunteers were heading out with dog teams to search for missing persons.
Eighteen days after the disaster, search and rescue efforts had shifted to search and recovery. Now, the focus is increasingly on rebuilding.
Micro-Communities and the Challenge of Relief
Austin, an organizer at the relief center, explained one of the main challenges in the relief effort: the population pockets in this region are small and scattered. There are numerous isolated groups of 10 or 20 people spread across the area. These micro-communities are harder to serve than larger towns with hundreds or thousands of residents.
Interestingly, Austin mentioned that these small communities often act as their own first responders, helping each other before formal emergency services can even reach them. Neighbors are sharing resources, patching up infrastructure, and essentially stepping in to assist long before outside help arrives.
Donation Surplus: A Lesson in What’s Really Needed
As we drove to different donation drop-off points across Swannanoa, I noticed a massive surplus of second-hand clothing piling up. In fact, some locations had stopped accepting donations because there was so much excess that it covered the sidewalks.
This highlighted the importance of staying in tune with what’s truly needed. At the relief center I toured, essential items like fuel, camp stoves, heaters, and sleeping bags were being sent to communities without power as quickly as they came in.
Samaritan’s Purse and Local Efforts
Samaritan’s Purse had a large presence in Swannanoa, with volunteers distributing fresh water and clearing debris from homes. Much of the debris wasn’t just random piles but organized piles waiting for waste services to pick them up. It was a sobering reminder of how much destruction people were working through even weeks after the hurricane hit.
Water Purity Crisis
As I visited gas stations and restrooms, I realized that 18 days after Hurricane Helene, city and county water purification systems were still offline. Toilets looked like they hadn’t been flushed, but after trying to flush myself, I realized it was because the water coming out was filthy.
Water was running, but it was so polluted that it wasn’t suitable for anything other than flushing toilets. Austin mentioned that reports were coming in of intestinal diseases in households or communities that didn’t have backup drinking water and were forced to drink from unfiltered, unpurified sources.
A Widespread Power and Water Outage
While some of the worst damage was concentrated in valleys and along riverbanks, most of the population impacted by Helene still had their homes. The widespread problem, however, was the prolonged absence of power, communication, and clean water sources.
Some residents were able to get by thanks to wells or backup water purification systems, as well as generators, which allowed them to ride out the crisis relatively unscathed. Others, however, had neither and were still facing ongoing challenges as they waited for power and clean water to be restored.
The Truth About FEMA
Now for the information I was asked to share. Some of the relief organizers I spoke to wished to remain anonymous but wanted the public to know the situation with FEMA.
According to them, FEMA members on the ground are ready and willing to help, but their hands are tied at the bureaucratic level. This red tape is making it incredibly difficult for those on the ground to network and provide the level of relief that’s truly needed.
Final Thoughts
Despite the challenges, my visit to Swannanoa left me feeling inspired. Seeing how communities, volunteers, private organizations, and donors were coming together to meet the needs of the people was heartening. It reinforced the importance of relying on local communities during a crisis and reminded me to think about ways to make my own homestead and neighborhood more resilient in the face of potential disasters.
In times like these, it’s local cooperation, not government reliance, that makes the biggest difference.
-the Shepherdess
“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
Shawn LaFleur says
I’m going up there next Friday with a truck full of supplies. I’ll be sighing the truck over to a local church and flying back Louisiana.
Jerry M Burwick says
Grace there’s an organization in Cleveland, Tennessee called Operation Compassion. It’s a nonprofit Christian Organization.They are set up to take your Credit Card or other meanes. The number to call to make a Donation is 423-728-3932 Please help these People if you’re able. These Mountain Folks really need help.God’s Blessings to all of you. Jerry
Brett says
Thank you (to you and your father) for taking the time and making the sacrifice to give us a fair and honest assessment of the situation in this disaster. Praying for all involved