Helene recovery in Buncombe: Shelters during cold weather, disaster relief scams, more (2024)

Oct. 15 is day 20 of emergency response efforts following Tropical Storm Helene according to Buncombe County Government daily briefings.

County Manager Avril Pinder opened the meeting with an update on community care centers, which provide laundry, showers, bathrooms, cell tower access, Wi-Fi, potable and non-potable water and counseling. The centers, including one new addition, are located at:

  • 890 Brevard Road (new)
  • Swannanoa Ingles
  • AC Reynolds High School
  • Morgan Hill Baptist Church at 594 Barnardsville Hwy

Here's your daily rundown on the county briefing.

More:What to know on 2024 election in Buncombe County post-Helene; absentee ballots, early voting

Buncombe County voting

Pinder provided a brief update on early voting in Buncombe County, which begins Thursday, Oct. 17. After it begins, early voting will occur every day, including weekends through Nov. 2. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. except for the final day, which ends at 3 p.m. You need an ID to vote - if you don't have one, visit the elections office at 59 Woodfin Pl in Asheville.

Early voting locations are:

  • Black Mountain Library
  • East Asheville Library
  • Enka-Candler Library
  • Fairview Library
  • Leicester Community Center
  • South Buncombe Library
  • UNCA Health & Counseling Center (new location at 118 W.T. Weaver Blvd., Asheville)
  • Weaverville Community Center
  • Dr. Wesley Grant Southside Center (in lieu of Board of Elections location)
  • West Asheville Library

Cold weather, shelters in WNC

Wednesday, Oct. 16, Western North Carolina is expected to experience very cold temperatures. Shelters have space and are available at:

  • AB Tech Conference Center (use Victoria Road entrance)
  • Former Gold's Gym at 1815 Hendersonville Road (this location has a playground for kids and a suitable location for families. No pets are allowed.)
  • A-B Tech Campus at 10 Genevieve Cir. medical emergency shelter, available for people that need medical equipment that require power)
  • WNC Ag Center at 1301 Fannon Bridge Road (good option for families with pets)

Free supplies in WNC, where to bring donations

Eblen Charities is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 23 Hamilton St. in Asheville and provides gasoline vouchers, warm winter clothing, and other essential items such as hygiene and cleaning products, menstrual supplies, diapers, and more.

Goodwill is accepting clothing donations and providing vouchers for those in need. Bounty and Soul is also accepting donations of warm clothing and blankets. Financial contributions can be made to United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County at unitedwayabc.org.

More:'We're here trying to help.' Swannanoa community continues to support itself after Helene

When will internet be back in WNC?

More than 236,000 Spectrum customers lost service at the height of Helene. In NC, Spectrum expects complete restoration by Oct. 19 to all safe-to-access locations. In Buncombe County, 58% of Spectrum customers have seen their service restored as of Oct. 15. That leaves 37,656 customers without power.

FEMA locations today

Today, Oct. 15, FEMA will be at several locations in WNC. These include:

  • Black Mountain Ingles
  • Pack Square Park
  • Weaverville Community Center
  • Swannanoa Community Care Station at Swannanoa Ingles
  • AC Reynolds High School

Buncombe County Health and Human Services waives fees

The Buncombe County Health and Human Services Board has waived fees for flu, COVID-19, TDap, and Hepatitis A vaccines for adults. You can Access Buncombe County Health and Human Services at 40 Cox Ave.

Additionally, environmental health fees for food service plan reviews for existing facilities greater than 500 square feet, renovations and additions for facilities less than 500 square feet, permitting all self-collect water samples and well-water samples for various chemicals, have been waived.

Disaster Supplemental Nutritional Assistance aka DSNAP

People impacted by Tropical Storm Helene can apply for a one-time benefit to help buy food through Disaster Supplemental Nutritional Assistance, often known as DSNAP. To apply, please visit epass.nc.gov or call 1-844-453-1117.

Disaster relief scams

The NC Attorney General's Office has a hotline for reporting scams, including disaster repairs, price gouging, and fraud contractors. You can call 877-5NOSCAM to reach the hotline or file a complaint online.

To avoid scams, follow these tips provided at the briefing:

  • If a housing inspector claims to represent FEMA, ask the person to show you their identification badge. Federal employees always wear official government badges to identify themselves.
  • Don't trust anyone who asks you for money. Federal and local disaster workers do not solicit or accept money.
  • FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration staff never charge for applications for disaster assistance inspections or help in filling out applications.
  • Always work with licensed or verified contractors backed by reliable references.
  • Do not pay more than half the cost of repairs in advance.
  • Demand that contractors detail the job to be done with guarantees in writing.

If you suspect fraud, call the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721.

Disaster assistance for farmers

The NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is running an assistance hotline for farmers. The hotline connects farmers with resources that can assist with damage and other agriculture emergencies related to the storm.

The toll-free number to access this service is 866-645-9403. A live operator is available between 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

More:With non-potable water available, Asheville-area schools will reopen with half days soon

Debris collection in WNC

County debris collection is beginning Tuesday in the Swannanoa area. Pinder reminded the public that this is "just the start of what will be an incredibly long process."

WastePro will also run its normal routes for household trash and recycling at accessible locations in Swannanoa Wednesday, Oct. 16. Additionally, trucks will be available at the Owen Pool at 117 Stone Drive in Swannanoa from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. for residents to drop off bagged trash from locations that pickup cannot access.

Landslide risks and field assessments

The U.S. Geological Survey, in partnership with the NC Geological Survey, is in the region assessing landslide risk and conducting field assessments. They will share their first assessments at the county briefing this Friday, Oct. 18. You may see agents in the area making assessments in the coming days.

Duke Energy updates in WNC

Bill Norton, Duke Energy representative, provided an update on power in the area. According to Norton, 5,800 customers in WNC, including 3,200 in Buncombe County, are still without power. Outage numbers Monday "inched up a bit" when a car hit a pole in Asheville, taking out power for about 1,800 customers.

"Not all of these are storm outages, and that's a good reminder that when you see utility crews out working, please slow down and give them a wide berth just like you do for the police and other first responders," Norton said. "We can get your power back on faster if we all stay alert and safe."

Duke Energy has restored nearly 1.5 million customer outages caused by Helene in NC alone. However, some homes with power restored cannot yet receive Duke Energy service. If your meter was ripped off in the storm, for example, you must have your home's internal wiring inspected by an electrician before power can be restored.

If your neighbors have power restored and you are still without, re-report your outage at Duke Energy's website and app by texting "OUT" to 57801 or calling 800-POWERON.

A dedicated WNC operation center has been opened to serve as an ongoing base for restorations as workers rebuild the infrastructure needed to restore power. The operation center also facilitates ongoing collaborations with Buncombe County and other WNC government partners from one central location.

Most remaining outages will be restored by the end of the week, according to Norton.

Post-Helene permitting guide

Dave Connolly, with the U.S. Corps of Engineers, provided a guide to permitting related to the Clean Water Act post-Helene.

Activities that don't require approval from the USACE include:

  • Debris/tree removal
  • Removing accumulated sediment
  • Certain bridges/spanning structures
  • Cutting vegetation

If previously existing structures in waters or wetlands are damaged during a storm, they can typically be replaced and are exempt from Clean Water Act permitting. More information about exemptions can be found on the USACE website under Public Notices, and staff can confirm if your project would be exempt.

Find quick information on which flood response projects require permitting at the USACE-provided link dvidshub.net/publication/issues/72080.

Permits are required from county offices to complete construction on your home.

Other reminders, notices

To end today's briefing, Buncombe County representative Lillian Govus added a few reminders and updates:

  • Last night, water services were able to get water to downtown Asheville.
  • Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will meet Tuesday fully remotely at 5 p.m. The meeting will be broadcast on the county's Facebook page.
  • Buncombe County's fire chief reminds the public that as humidity and temperatures drop, the risk associated with burning rises significantly. "The last thing we want is to add an additional strain on our first responders and impact any of our homes or infrastructure." Use extreme caution if burning any materials, make sure you're 15 feet away from structures and burning in 3-6 feet piles that are managed and supervised at all times.

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.

Helene recovery in Buncombe: Shelters during cold weather, disaster relief scams, more (2024)

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