In Helene’s aftermath, Carrboro firefighters deploy to the mountains

COMMUNITY NEWS

CARRBORO–Like other residents of Western North Carolina, first responders in the aftermath of Helene are working without cell phone service, without power, and often without functioning roads. Earlier this month, Carrboro sent a team of firefighters to Transylvania County to help lighten the load.

“Many responders lost their house, lost family members,” Carrboro Fire Chief Will Potter said in an interview with The Local Reporter. Carrboro firefighters and other responders from the Triangle area can support exhausted firefighters in hurricane-hit communities and free them up to deal with personal losses. The different Triangle departments coordinated deployments through the Office of the State Fire Marshal. “It is all hands on deck, completing whatever assignments or tasks are needed.”

Potter said firefighters volunteered for deployment. The department picked among the volunteers based on rank and skills. They traveled west with a fire engine, extrication tools, equipment for rope rescues, saws, and fire-suppression equipment. “Based on the nature of the assignment the crew was required to be self-sufficient for up to 72 hours, so the crew took water, MREs [meals ready to eat], and cots as well.”

Keeping Carrboro and its people safe is still job one, Potter said. Among the 21 firefighters who volunteered, some covered shifts and tasks for their absent coworkers. The others went west into the Connestee Falls area in Transylvania County.

Firefighter Stories

Firefighters Chris Wade and Josh Asbill were among the Carrboro volunteers who headed west, returning October 5. Wade, who joined Carrboro PD in 2012, said he originally wanted to be a paramedic but “slowly but surely I transformed into a firefighter.” His skill set includes rope rescues and swift-water rescue work, plus he’s a structural-collapse technician.

Asbill, who’s been with Carrboro 17 years said, as an Eagle Scout firefighting seemed like a natural career choice. “I’ve always had a desire to help. I always enjoyed the high adventure and the camaraderie associated with scouting.” His specialties include rope rescue, swift-water rescue and flood rescue.

Asbill said he volunteered because, having attended Appalachian State University, he has a deep fondness for the state’s mountain areas. Wade also knows the area, having spent time in Chimney Rock.

Wade said when the crew first arrived in Connestee Falls “they were kind of cut off from the rest of the county, They had several trees and power lines down; they had a major road washed away.” That meant longer response times for local first responders and lots of isolated residents.

“We did a whole lot of wellness checks in the area,” said Asbill, “making sure everyone had food and water and that if there were medical concerns with the power being out, the department was aware of it.”

The firefighters also checked homes for structural damage and recorded any they found. They responded to emergency calls when local firefighters were occupied checking on their own families and homes. They cleared roads, and also cleared driveways so that homeowners could get out on their own. If people couldn’t get out, the firefighters provided water and MREs.

The Challenges

The damage was staggering, according to Wade. One neighborhood had only a couple of power poles still standing. “The toughest part was communication. We had radios, but there was no cell phone service at all; I think they’re still struggling with that.” Having to make wellness checks on hundreds of homes took a lot of time.

“We put in a lot of heavy lifting and assisting with fallen trees,” said Asbill. “We went into an area where people were rattled; some people were scared. You’ve got to be patient with them — you’ve got to have customer service.”

Asbill said being cut off from their home turf and their usual resources added to the challenge, as did the mountain environment. “We’re used to hills but not some sheer mountainous terrain. Being able to get access is critical, being able to work with people in the area who know the region and the difficult areas to get to, that definitely is important.”

The two men said that seeing Transylvania County folks rally and work together, plus the chance to team up with the local firefighters was a more positive side to the deployment. “Even though these folks were rocked by the hurricane,” said Wade, “two departments that had never worked together before worked together. They devised a plan and it was phenomenal.”

“Still,” said Asbill, “this is a long process. We all wish things would happen quickly; we wish all the needs were met right away. That can be tough. It’s a constantly evolving situation. Crews are doing their absolute best to change as their situations change and to meet the needs of the community the best that they can.”

For anyone wishing to help, Chief Potter recommends a state website that lists the best ways to donate.

Fraser Sherman has worked for newspapers, including the Destin Log, the Pensacola News-Journal and the Raleigh Public Record. Born in England, he’d still live in Florida if he hadn’t met the perfect woman and moved to Durham to marry her. He’s the author of several film reference books and has published one novel and several short story collections.
This reporter can be reached at Info@TheLocalReporter.press