Helene Recovery & Info

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From a musician friend of mine from Asheville:

"I wept today. The simple and understated segment on CBS 60 Minutes tonight featuring WNC and the storm really moved me. Seeing our story, even as watered down and short as it was, seemed very affirming. "Look, this is what we've been through!" Most people have no idea of the devastation suffered in the WNC area.
I spent the day today serving food as a volunteer for World Central Kitchen. Up until now, I have been the recipient of the goodwill of others. Taking showers and dropping my laundry at the FEMA disaster relief station. Having a free meal from the Red Cross mobile lunch and dinner truck now and then. There were conversations too. I met a wonderful woman named Rosita, from Alaska. Here without pay, just to help. She is a spiritual counselor who attends to tragedies all over the US. As a volunteer.
In a way, I will admit I've felt a little guilty getting a free lunch or dinner from the Red Cross food truck.. "It should go to someone who needs it more than I do." After all, I have electricity now, finally. Right?
What I saw today though, serving food to everyone, whether they "needed" it or not really opened my eyes. We listened to people's stories. We talked to them, we listened to them. EVERYONE has been traumatized. We, have been through trauma together. Everyone was extremely grateful. Everyone had a story. We saw tears from some. Gratitude from everyone.
There's healing magic in a free hot meal whether you "need it" or not, and someone that is just there to support you through all of this is wonderful beyond words. That realization is what hit me today. To give and to receive the gift and magic of food, support and love...just because, and whether you "need it" or not. The fullness of that realization is what moved me today. I am changed.
Thank you to everyone who fed me and talked to me and did my laundry and set up showers and drinking water during this tragedy and thank you to those of you we fed today. We heal each other."
 
nycfan said:
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I know it's been this way for most everyone in NC, but I can't even begin to say how absolutely perfect the weather has been since Helene. Every day since has been one of those picture perfect, post card type of weather days. 1 day of full clouds that I can remember and not one drop of rain. It's been 23 straight days of this type of weather, at least where I live, and I totally understand the impending wildfire danger referenced in my quote above because it is try as a bone here. Which has been good for progress, but it's creating another danger....
 
Have a friend who went back to her hometown of Old Fort this past weekend. Sent me photos of the damage there and it is awful. Luckily her mom's house didn't get damaged. She took this photo of where they found someone who had died. Very sad situation.

1000030629.jpg
 


"...Buncombe County officials, who previously reported 72 deaths, are now deferring to a state tally of 42 deaths for the county.

The county’s number dates back to an Oct. 3 news release in which county officials reported that “72 lives have been lost due to Hurricane Helene,” repeating a number cited by Sheriff Quentin Miller at an earlier media briefing. But state officials, relying on reviews by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Raleigh, have consistently reported a number lower than that for the county. The number for Buncombe County included in the state’s tally has stood at 42 since at least Oct. 10.

On Tuesday, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s office acknowledged in a statement that the number of deaths in the county was lower than the number it provided. The statement attributed to Public Information Officer Christina Esmay cited factors ranging from updated causes of death to communication challenges after the storm knocked out cell service and electricity in multiple mountain counties."
 
nycfan said:


"...Buncombe County officials, who previously reported 72 deaths, are now deferring to a state tally of 42 deaths for the county.

The county’s number dates back to an Oct. 3 news release in which county officials reported that “72 lives have been lost due to Hurricane Helene,” repeating a number cited by Sheriff Quentin Miller at an earlier media briefing. But state officials, relying on reviews by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Raleigh, have consistently reported a number lower than that for the county. The number for Buncombe County included in the state’s tally has stood at 42 since at least Oct. 10.

On Tuesday, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s office acknowledged in a statement that the number of deaths in the county was lower than the number it provided. The statement attributed to Public Information Officer Christina Esmay cited factors ranging from updated causes of death to communication challenges after the storm knocked out cell service and electricity in multiple mountain counties."
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Oh no. Not an overcount of deaths by . . . 30 people! Burn the sheriff!
 
Carolina Fever said:
Have a friend who went back to her hometown of Old Fort this past weekend. Sent me photos of the damage there and it is awful. Luckily her mom's house didn't get damaged. She took this photo of where they found someone who had died. Very sad situation.

1000030629.jpg
Click to expand...
I can attest that it's awful in Old Fort. The worst I've seen in the county, and it's pretty bad in other places....
 
superrific said:
Oh no. Not an overcount of deaths by . . . 30 people! Burn the sheriff!
Click to expand...
Well the misinformation trending now is that there were actually thousands of deaths and the government is intentionally suppressing the true number to downplay the severity of the incident. Same misinformation after Lahaina, too.
 
From another musician friend of mine in WNC”

“
Tuesday, October 22, 2024 –9:29am
The Saga continues!!! We are now sleeping each night at a FEMA hotel only 10 minutes from our cabin. The cabin does not have running water and it appears there is now a major water leak somewhere between the water meter and our pump house (which pumps water up the mountain to the cabin). The distance between the pump house and the water meter is roughly 150 yards. So, finding the leak is a DAUNTING task. I do have water pipe insurance which should cover the cost, but the problem is when and how to get this fixed. Update: The water people are coming tomorrow to check out the water pipe leak. However, they may not be able to get up the driveway, which is extremely dangerous to drive on, and is getting worse every day. We had to reschedule the refrigerator delivery for November. Hopefully we can get the old one removed before then. The flood insurance people came to the cabin yesterday but told us our FEMA flood insurance ONLY covers damage to the house, not the property. So that means that we will be responsible for the cost of fixing the landslide. The estimate on that repair is $25,000. There is no insurance that covers that! There is still no internet at the cabin so I cannot begin to do any zoom teaching.

The tree people are coming back Saturday to finish removing all the fallen trees. Another $4,000 expense that comes out of our own pocket.
My brain is having a difficult time computing all this madness. And of course, there is much more that I am omitting.

Each evening, I drive over to“The Railyard” to pick up donated hot meals. That is our dinner. The FEMA hotel room has running water, hence, a working bathroom where I can take a shower and FLUSH!!!!
This sounds like quite a lot of complaining and I apologize. I know we are lucky to be alive, but we are moving into week 5 of this catastrophe and I do not see any end in sight. My nerves are starting to “fray”!
 
Cooper today said the State loss total for Helene was 53 Billion
Cooper’s budget director Kristin Walker said that of the $53.6 billion in estimated damages in North Carolina, the state anticipates that the federal government will cover about $13.6 billion and insurance or other private sector payments might total about $6.3 billion. That leaves $33.8 billion in losses still unaccounted for.
Sweet Jesus
 
mpaer said:
Cooper today said the State loss total for Helene was 53 Billion
Cooper’s budget director Kristin Walker said that of the $53.6 billion in estimated damages in North Carolina, the state anticipates that the federal government will cover about $13.6 billion and insurance or other private sector payments might total about $6.3 billion. That leaves $33.8 billion in losses still unaccounted for.
Sweet Jesus
Click to expand...
Damn.

Just damn.
 
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