As western North Carolina continues to reconcile with the extent of storm damage from Hurricane Helene, the Orange and Chatham County governments are offering a hand.

The local governments — who saw their own communities fall under tornado and flash flooding warnings as the storm system passed through on Friday — shared how they are each providing support to the region as it recovers from the intense flooding, destructive landslides and ongoing power outages left in the wake of what was at one point a Category 4 hurricane.

Orange County Emergency Services said its emergency operations center sent 11 EMS providers to the western part of the state on Friday to help with medical operations, while two emergency mangers from the county were assigned to help with disaster shelter operations in the region. Additionally, both the county government and its emergency services department shared links on social media for community members to donate to National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster for anyone interested in contributing to recovery efforts.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office similarly said it is coordinating with organizers of a donation drive, saying more details would be shared in the coming days. Sheriff Charles Blackwood also said monetary donations could be made out in checks to the North Carolina Sheriff’s Association with the designation “hurricane relief” — while warning residents to vet any potential calls for donations to ensure the groups are locally based or well-established organizations.

The Town of Chapel Hill helped as well, by sending two emergency managers to Buncombe County and the State Emergency Operations Center. Some Chapel Hill Police officers also assisted Asheville Police with operations over the weekend, while firefighters helped conduct swift water rescues and the town’s Crisis Unit supported first responders.

Carrboro firefighters are also helping response efforts, with the local fire department deploying four personnel and a truck to Transylvania County on Monday. The crew aims to serve as backfill for the local first responders on fire and rescue teams before returning on Saturday.

Meanwhile, five staff members of the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office deployed to Yancey County on Monday. The group, which includes one caption and four deputies, took generators, bottled water, and ready-to-eat meals to support the ongoing local recovery efforts. The office said in its release additional deputies will be joining their colleagues across western North Carolina counties in the coming days.

The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office also circulated a call for donations to the Chatham Cares program — a disaster relief ministry run out of Community Baptist Church in Siler City. The group, which has historically helped hurricane-affected areas in the southeast, is collecting donations of essential items through Friday, October 4 to be taken to western North Carolina.

According to the release, things like bottled water, baby diapers, flashlights, batteries, cleaning supplies, work gloves, and personal hygiene items can be taken to the sheriff’s office in Pittsboro, the Piggly Wiggly in Siler City, and the Walmart Shopping Center parking lot in Siler City during business hours. Chatham Cares is also accepting financial donations, which can be made on their website or by calling 919-770-4736.

“As a community, we understand the importance of coming together in times of crisis,” said Chatham County Sheriff Mike Roberson. “We are grateful to partner with Chatham Cares in bringing essential supplies to our western North Carolina neighbors in need.”

The Orange Rural Fire Department and the Hillsborough Police Department are also collecting items to donate to western North Carolina relief efforts. Donations will be accepted from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Orange Rural Station 1 at 206 South Churton Street, and the Hillsborough Police Station at 127 South Churton Street. A full list of needed items are on the Town of Hillsborough’s website.

Other Disaster Relief Efforts

For individuals looking to donate other places, North Carolina’s state government launched its own disaster relief fund to collect money for the United Way of North Carolina to use in ongoing and upcoming recovery efforts. The Red Cross also launched a hurricane relief effort over the weekend, which had raised hundreds of thousands of dollars by Monday morning. Additional organizations and ways to provide support to victims of storm damage in North Carolina are being compiled by Asheville-based news outlets like Blue Ridge Public Radio and the Asheville Citizen-Times newspaper.

For a list of local donation drives and efforts, click here.

 

Photo via Orange County Emergency Services on Facebook.

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