Several communities remain cut off, unable to call 911
Published 6:16 pm Monday, September 30, 2024
Buzz Trexler/Star Correspondent Carter County Emergency Management Agency Deputy Director Shannon Winters speaks during a press conference held Monday morning at Elizabethton Parks and Recreation Center as County Mayor Patty Woody looks on.
Buzz Trexler/Star Correspondent Carter County Mayor Patty Woodby speaks during a press conference held Monday morning at Elizabethton Parks and Recreation Center as Carter County Emergency Management Agency Deputy Director Shannon Winters (center) and Carter County Sheriff Mike Fraley stand by.
Buzz Trexler/Star Correspondent Todd Hallman directs volunteers Monday at Elizabethton Parks and Recreation Center, 300 W. Mill St., where donations for storm victims are currently being staged for pickup.
Buzz Trexler/Star Correspondent A palette of bottled water arrives Monday at Elizabethton Parks and Recreation Center, 300 W. Mill St., where donations for storm victims are currently being staged for pickup.
Buzz Trexler/Star Correspondent Ivan Sanders, who is serving as the unified public information director for Elizabethton and Carter County, opens a press conference Monday morning at Elizabethton Parks and Recreation Center as other public officials and employees stand by.
Buzz Trexler/Star Correpondent A volunteer shares a hug during the donations pickup line Monday at Elizabethton Parks and Recreation Center.
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By Buzz Trexler
Star Correspondent
The damage from the remnants of Hurricane Helene that roared through the county overnight Thursday and into Friday was catastrophic and continues to be traumatic, county officials said, and all indications are recovery may take years.
Carter County public officials and emergency management officials said during a press conference Monday morning at the Elizabethton Parks and Recreation Center that several communities remain completely cut off and rescue and supply drops will continue. Many people remain without power or phone service — cellular or otherwise — and are unable to call 911.
“This is a traumatic experience for Carter County,” County Mayor Patty Woodby said. “This is the worst natural disaster that Carter County has experienced.”
Nonetheless, Woodby expressed confidence in local, state, and federal leadership, and said, “We’re doing everything we can to get our county back to where it’s going to need to be.”
“But this is not going to happen overnight. This is not going to happen in a few weeks,” Woodby said. “This will be months and maybe even years to rebuild our county. But I do want the community to know we are aware of the needs, and we are sending people in.”
County governmental offices are closed through Wednesday, and county schools are currently closed this week, she said.
“We will reassess and regroup, as some of our schools have been at a complete loss,” Woodby said. “We are currently still trying to find where most of our kids are and where the parents are. We don’t have roadways to connect these communities. I just want the community to know if you are at home and you are safe, please stay in so our first responders can do their job.”
Carter County Emergency Management Agency Deputy Director Shannon Winters said Elk River and Doe River suffered “catastrophic flooding” from the storm, and several communities remain isolated. He said there was heavy wind damage in the Elk Mills, Hampton, and Roan Mountain communities, and rescues have taken place throughout the county by ground, boat, and helicopter.
The mayor sought to assure the public that while some communities are cut off, they are not being unassisted. “We are currently continuing, and will continue, rescue and supply drops until everyone’s needs have been met and everyone has been evacuated or safely found,” Woodby said. “At this point, we have not been notified of any fatalities in Carter County. We do still have communities that are completely cut off.”
As a result, the mayor said Black Hawk helicopters are being used “day and night” to drop water, supplies, and generators into those communities.
“We have drop spots set up for those communities and access to water, food, and generators, and we are trying to share as much as we can on social media,” she said. “But right now, Carter County has no cell phone service. We have very, very limited internet service.”
Winters said efforts to restore cell phone coverage were underway, and teams were assessing the county’s widespread damage.
“We do have damage assessments taking place,” the deputy director said. “Those have already been started in the county by our local volunteers, as well as volunteers from throughout the state.” The volunteers will be clearly identified by their vests and will report directly to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency.
In addition to local first responders, the mayor said assistance is coming into the county from across the state and elsewhere. “We will have first responders here from the state of Florida bringing in supplies to Carter County and being directed to come straight into Carter County,” Woodby said. “So, we are doing all that we know to do, and we will continue to do more.”
Woodby said local donation sites are being set up throughout the county. “We will also be setting up a monetary donation link at one of our local banks, which will release that information soon. Many people want to know how to get monetary donations to some of our families.”
Winters said supply drops to isolated communities were continuing, and officials would continue to try and safely evacuate those areas. He explained that the operation was now in a search and evacuation mode and will next move to a debris management and recovery mode.
