Buncombe County Tropical Storm Helene Response – Oct. 3 Update

Buncombe County press release:

Donation drop-off site

The City of Asheville is opening a new donation drop-off site at Harrah’s Cherokee Center for individuals and groups wanting to help during this crisis. The site can accept small donations including water, nonperishable food, personal care items, infant care, pet food supplies, disposable plates and utensils, clothing and cleaning supplies. However, it cannot accept anything requiring refrigeration or flammable liquids.

Donation Drop-off Site: Harrah’s Cherokee Center 87 Haywood Street, at the front door

Operation Hours: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., 7 days a week

Curbside collection of household waste will resume in targeted areas on Monday, October 7. Routes are being determined based on road accessibility and will be shared when available.

• Download the AVL Collects app in the Apple Store or Google Play store to receive notifications about trash and recycling pickup in your area.

• There will be no recycling pick up until the recycling plant is operational. Residents should use both recycling and trash carts for household waste. All waste will be collected as trash at this time by both City of Asheville and Curbie vehicles.

• 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.

Correction: Small donations should be dropped off at Beloved Asheville, 32 Old Charlotte Highway, Asheville, NC 28803, not Reynolds Middle Warehouse.

New Water and Food Distribution Sites: 

Two new sites have opened at:

• Cane Creek Middle, 570 Lower Brush Creek Road, Fletcher
• Leicester Elementary, 31 Gilbert Road, Leicester

Both are open from noon to 4 p.m. providing water and ready-to-eat meals.

Other locations include Estes Elementary, Sand Hill Elementary, North Windy Ridge, Fairview Elementary, and Black Mountain Ingles. Starting at 2 p.m., non-potable water will be available at Estes Elementary – please bring containers.

Power Update
85,000 customers remain without power as restoration efforts continue.

Missing Persons
Buncombe County does not have an official number for unaccounted people because:

• Search and rescue continue now for a seventh day. We are continuing to find survivors.
• We know we have pockets of people who are isolated due to landslides and bridges out, so they are disconnected but not missing.
• Power, Wi-Fi and phone coverage remains a barrier to connection.

Only once our search and rescue ends will we truly know a number of unaccounted for.

Family Assistance
The Family Assistance Center, an initiative of our Register of Deeds office, has deployed 840 volunteers to check on 6,065 high-priority households with 700+ care packages distributed. As of Wednesday, October 2:

• 2,885 of our neighbors confirmed safe and sound by volunteers, and
• 1,828 confirmed safe and sound through email and text

If you want to volunteer, please report any time between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at 205 College St., Asheville. Small donations of food, water, toiletries, baby formula, dog food, etc. can be dropped off, as well.

MSD Update
Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County has been operational and treating the entire time. It has 37 out of 40 pumps that are working with either backup power or with full power. They have a few transmission lines that have leaks and breakages, and they are working on repairing those and they are making progress.

FEMA Update
FEMA will remain active in the region for the duration of the response and the recovery. FEMA’s number one priority remains to be life safety with search and rescue currently active and ongoing. Those who are able to do so should register for FEMA assistance by visiting dissasterassistance.gov or calling 1‑800‑621‑3362. This is a critical first stop for the recovery process, this includes the Serious Needs Assistance which provides cash for life-sustaining and life-saving supplies like food, water, and medical equipment supplies. There is also Displacement Assistance if you cannot be in your house.

Border Patrol Presence
Border Patrol Officers are in the region to provide security and support. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol are not conducting immigration enforcement operations in the area. They are also not present at any of our shelter sites.

Connectivity
AT&T has set up a public mobile connectivity station at Sam’s Club, 645 Patton Ave, Asheville, offering charging stations and service for calls.

Big Ivy Community Center
The center is receiving emergency supplies and offering food, including free hamburgers and hot dogs starting at noon today, Oct. 3. Volunteers and donations are needed.

Assisted Care Facilities 
All monitored facilities have been contacted, with water and gas for generators identified as key needs. Staff are conducting wellness checks for seniors, working with local partners to address needs.

Loss of Life

The number of lives lost in Buncombe County remains at 61.