Hurricane Helene

[Mike and Carol]

I’m sure we have owners that have been affected by the hurricane, hopefully everyone is okay.  Are there any western NC or eastern TN folks that have any updates?  I know there are owners around Johnson City, TN and Asheville, NC.  We’re a bit worried…. Mike

[thompsonkd]

We live outside of Asheville, about 35 miles. Total devastation in our county. Services have been knocked out; power, water, phone and internet. Trees down everywhere. Lots of bridges out. Many roads are simply closed. Topgun and Scotty live in Western NC; not sure how they are doing. We have been lucky-house okay. 

[Mike and Carol]

I just tried to text Bill (Topgun) and it failed.  I’m sure they have no power or cell coverage in Brevard. 

[mossemi]

I am talking to topgun2 as I type this post.  He and Sue are safe and sound, with all services.  I called again this morning and I was able to reach them.  I’m sure he will have stories to share when has full communications back.

Mossey

[Patriot]

@Mike and Carol

Thank you Mike for your concern. As reported the Western NC foothills and mountain areas are in really bad shape in a lot of areas. A close friend of mine who works for Duke power told me it looks like a war zone. We did have had friends and neighbors check on our home and to our surprise we were spared and had no damage with exception of a few pines over on the ridge we live on. Sadly, this is not the same report for many of our neighbors. Our LNG Generac standby generator ran for 60 hrs before our power was restored keeping our home on 💯 full power. We are very grateful to say the least. All this said our hearts our heavy for ALL impacted by this storm.

I40 which connects eastern Tenn with western NC is closed and it appears it will be for a long time. Our Starlink mini has been a game changer with regard to staying up to date. 

I have made several attempts to call and txt topgun2 and have not had any success. Mike I am glad hear you got through this morning. We are both relieved he and Sue are ok.

I would ask everyone to take a moment and lift up ALL people impacted by this storm in your thoughts and prayers. 

 

David & Kathy

[John Dorrer]

This is so sad. Having traveled this whole area at this time last year, hits home. Our prayers for all affected. Thanks for this post and sharing.

[topgun2]

I'm BACK

 

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers - especially those that were specific to me and my family.

We never lost power, satellite TV, or water/sewer in my sub-division.  We had several trees down that blocked the roads into/out of our home but our City workers pushed those aside fairly early after the rain stopped and then my wife and I cleared the 95% of the mess up until I ran out of gas for the chainsaw.  However, even though (as far as I know) the small town where I live "only" had relatively little damage, the storm had major effects on many areas around the entire Western North Carolina, north Georgia, and Tennessee.  Specifically, the small town of Chimney Rock is basically gone.  I don't mean damaged, I mean it is literally gone.  There are highways that are gone, bridges gone, and, of course, buildings that are gone.  I've heard varying numbers of deaths due to the storm but there are still areas that have not been visited because there is simply no way to get to them other than helicopter fly overs.

Fortunately, these types of storms are not "normal" for us.  Certainly THAT is good news.  But, the bad news is that our infrastructure is not prepared for this type of thing.  Also, our personal and governmental structure is basically not prepared.  Curfews have been place since early on and I've not traveled so that the people, equipment and supplies that are needed can more easily get to where it is really needed.  However, what little I've personally observed is amazing.  

We did get cell and land line phones back yesterday and just this morning slow internet is available.  My wife went out early this morning in the hopes of getting some fresh fruit and milk.  It took longer than "normal" but she returned with those supplies.  Only one grocery store had those things in stock though and of the three stores she stopped into only one was accepting limited credit card payments.  Apparently the local gas stations have received fresh supplies of gas but there are still long lines to get it.  I'm guessing that by Friday things should be getting back closer to "normal".  Unfortunately, I can't say the same for other nearby areas where I'm sure it will take months (if not years) to find any sense of "normalcy"😟.

Bill

p.s.  I store my Ollie in a storage yard about 10 miles from my home.  I'm assuming that it is still there and undamaged - I'll try to go for a visit by the weekend.

 

[topgun2]

A few lessons learned from the recent storm here in Western North Carolina:

1:  Get and/or make a copy of any drug prescription(s) you may have.  

A neighbor of our went to CVS to get a refill for one of his meds.  Due to having no computer and/or internet access the pharmacy could not verify his prescription and, therefore, had to deny his request.  They advised him to go to the local hospital where he could see a doctor to get a new script.

2:  Keep a supply of cash (in small bills) on hand.

Since power and access to computers/internet was lost in the region, the only way to get any services and/or products was to have cash.

3:  Keep at least a 1/2 tank of gas in your vehicle(s) at all times.

First the power went out.  This caused the gas stations to not be able to pump the gas that they had on hand.

Second, the power came back on but then there was "panic" buying and long lines to get gas.

Third, when the gas stations were re-supplied there were still long lines due to the "panic" and uncertainty of when or if gas would be available in the future.

4:  Keep bottled water on hand.

Obviously the amount partially depends on the number of people, the area where you live - to include climate and time of year.

5:  Consider some type of satellite communications device.

This can be something as "simple" as a personal communications device like the Garmin InReach mini, a satellite phone, or Starlink.

Bill

[johnwen]

Glad ya'll are ok Bill.  Ground zero during Hugo was certainly no fun but I fondly remember how everyone pulled together to get through the aftermath.  Safety during cleanup was so important for all.  Best of luck and prayers for quick recovery.

John

[Patriot]

 

Not sure if this is 💯 accurate, but I-40 in Western North Carolina is now projected to be closed until September of 2025.

I-26, north of Asheville and into Tennessee is now projected to be closed until March 2025.

Saw this post on a Meteorologist page and thought it was worth sharing.

The floods have destroyed roads everywhere in North Carolina & Tennessee.

 

 

[topgun2]

I just got back from the facility where I store my Oliver.

I'm very happy to report that all is well, Twist is still there high and dry.

Unfortunately though I had several discussions with people that live in and around the town of Mills River.  All of those that I talked to are still without power, water and sewer.

Free water is being distributed in a number of places as is free food.  Even while I was at the storage yard a young fellow drove by with cases of water in the back of his truck asking if anyone needed it.  To his credit - he wouldn't even take the $20 bill I offered him to help pay for his gas.  And, out of the five people that were near me only one took a case of water because the rest of us simply didn't need it.  A local Holiday Inn is offering free showers to anyone needing one.

FEMA has arrived in our town as of this afternoon and I noticed that several of the downed power lines that were down as I drove back towards town were being worked on.  Our electric provider (Duke Energy) has posted that virtually all of the Transylvania County residents should have restored power no later than Friday evening.  And, most important, it has been reported that there have been no deaths in the county due to this storm.

Bill

[Shawna and Scott]

Prayers go out to everyone impacted by this awful storm.  I'm  thankful that folks on here are ok and safe. We will be praying for those in NC/TN/VA/GA

I just returned from Augusta Georgia where they felt the fury of this storm also. It is hard to describe what it looks like and the amount of damage.  This is a link to a story CNN did about Augusta and it happens to be my daughters family. 

https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/03/us/augusta-family-hunkers-in-bathtub/index.htm

Our family is safe thankfully, it could have been worse and I know it was worse for other families in this storm. 

[Jason Foster]

I'm sorry everyone had to go through this.  There are never good answers to why, but there are always good people willing to help.  My wife and I live far enough inland not to be affected by hurricanes but they do spawn some horrendous thunderstorms and vicious tornados.  

I will put my prayer up to God for all of you who were hit hard and those who are helping.

God bless.

[ScubaRx]

On 10/2/2024 at 11:37 AM, topgun2 said:

A few lessons learned from the recent storm here in Western North Carolina:

1:  Get and/or make a copy of any drug prescription(s) you may have.  

A neighbor of our went to CVS to get a refill for one of his meds.  Due to having no computer and/or internet access the pharmacy could not verify his prescription and, therefore, had to deny his request.  They advised him to go to the local hospital where he could see a doctor to get a new script.

 

From a Pharmacist's standpoint this should NEVER happen. From a corporate standpoint there should have been an immediately initiated memo stating that anyone that had lost their maintenance medications due to the storm should have them replaced AT NO COST to the patient. When Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast in 2005 there were thousands of displaced persons seeking refuge in and around Tupelo. Even though I did not work retail Pharmacy except on a relief basis, I still saw many people that were unable to get to their meds before evacuating. We never turned a single person away and never charged them a cent. They had too many balls in the air to have to deal with not have vital meds.

Edited October 3 by ScubaRx

[Boudicca908]

On 10/2/2024 at 12:37 PM, topgun2 said:

A few lessons learned from the recent storm here in Western North Carolina:

 

These are all excellent tips for being prepared. Those who face storms on an annual basis should (but don't always) know these standards for preparation -- it's always good to share lessons like this, especially given so many people who have moved around the country in the past few years. Many people have no experience and therefore don't understand the reality of the situation until they face it personally. I am so glad that your family (and others here in the OTT forum) are safe. I have several friends who live in the W NC and E TN region, and from all reports it's going to be years of work to return to "normal" -- Lee County Florida is still repairing from 2022's hurricane Ian, so I can attest to that possibility. It's so much work. Sending positive thoughts to all in VA, TN, NC, GA and FL who have been impacted. And thank you to those who have given us first-hand reports on your areas. 

[ScottyGS]

One week update from Mars Hill NC.

Seven days sure can change a lot of things. We like many others were not prepared as well as we could have been. Like far fewer others we were lucky beyond belief.

Madison County is about 15 miles due north of Asheville NC. There are three main towns, Mars Hill, Marshall, and Hot Springs. Mars Hill is the only town NOT on the French Broad River, and as such was spared much (well, all.. ) of the destruction that Helene brought with her. Downtown Marshal and Hot Springs were devastated. Many buildings are gone. The ones that are left sustained heavy flooding and damage. Other nearby communities not near a river, like Weaverville, were hit hard and are still without power. Why? I think it might have something to do with wind, micro-bursts, and other stuff above my pay grade. Why does a tornado take a house but leave the one next door unscathed?

Mars Hill was without power for 2 days, without decent cell service for 4, internet for 6, but we never lost water.  Like I said... lucky!

We had enough cash on hand, enough gas in the vehicles, plenty of food. The freezers held out and we did not loose anything. Steaks and stuff still frozen solid when the power came back on. We didn't open the door at all. Lanterns from the trailer were available after we remembered where we stored them when we emptied #145 for the trip to the RV repair place.

Speaking of the trailer... We were relived to find out it is NOT a BOAT!   RV Services has a locked lot (lots of trailers stored there) and was dry. They did loose electric for a week but are back and we should be ready to pick up next week sometime.

Lots of lessons learned. We had prepped a bit in the past so we had the stuff we needed... but it was not stored where we could get our hands on it readily. So, some wandering about was done... but we had time.

Things on our list for the future: Starlink (already on order), Honda EU3200, Small ham handheld and take the damn test already. Trying to pick stuff that will be useful in non-emergency times as well.

We are thankful for our friends and neighbors. We live in a small tight knit subdivision with no HOA. People look out for one another and take notice of those folks who might not have any business here. Been carrying everywhere just in case... thankfully not even close to being needed.

All for now. Thanks for the kind thoughts and prayers. Hope to see y'all soon.

Scotty (and Donna and Mistletoe the Westie)

[SeaDawg]

I've had a hard time responding. 

Times here in Florida and in our western north carolina neighborhood are very hard.

We are very grateful that all our friends,  family, and neighbors are alive, and safe. Stuff can be replaced. 

As you who are affected work through recovery,  PLEASE be very careful.  When you are tired,  and emotions are high, it's easy to misstep, or not see a hidden hazard. 

We are working still on Florida cleanup, ours, family and neighbors,  and will not be going to  nc till we are not a greater part of the problem.  

Our community has been amazing. Everyone has worked together to help each other. This is what we do, as normal folks.

In our part of  Florida,  we pretty much  have it handled. We are more accustomed to the immense devastation. (Sometimes,  we get almost numb.) Please pray for wnc, and support the true helping organizations,  if you can.

Grateful is my most common feeling these days. Followed by guilt. Everyone in my circle may be affected, even losing everything, but we are alive, uninjured,,and seeing the dawn bringing a new day. This is not true for so many families.  My heart is broken for all of them.

God bless and keep those who lost loved ones. And for those who lost their homes. If you are the praying kind, please join me. This storm affected so many. Across the southeast. 

Edited October 5 by SeaDawg

[topgun2]

I was just thinking about this last night.

Perhaps we have not been exposed to virtually any news coverage concerning those in Florida and south Georgia because the news here in western NC is all about what is happening here.

Yes, Florida folks may be better prepared for and "used" to these storms, but the problems associated with them are the same for all effected.

And, now the weather forecast is showing a fairly good chance that Florida is about to get hit again.  Hopefully this "brewing storm" will not be bad.  But, even a bit of rain will not help at this point.

Bill

p.s.  For anyone planning to head towards Western North Carolina over to view the changing leaves - the Blue Ridge Parkway is currently closed.  While some areas of it may reopen over the next few weeks, it is unlikely (in my opinion) that most of the Parkway southwest of Asheville will reopen anytime soon.  This along with interstate highway closures of major portions of 40 and 26 (north of Asheville), I'd suggest a change of plans and either plan for 2025 or for States much further to the north.

[Mike and Carol]

We had reservations for the last week of October for East Tennessee, near Johnson City.  Of course those are now canceled. Our prayers go out to everyone affected.

[ScottyGS]

For those who want to come to the area to see the fall foliage, you might consider the Robbinsville / Topton area.   We have reservations at Hidden Waters Campground later in October.  It actually looks like we might be making this trip.  Here is an update from The Campground that you might find useful.  This was sent on 10/3/24

Scotty

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We wanted to take a minute and thank everyone that has reached out to us about how we fared through Hurricane Helene.  Our community was so very fortunate and did not endure the flooding, power outages and road closures that our neighbors to the East did.  We had no damage in the campground and are running normal operations.  Some of you may not know this, but we are almost as close to Metro Atlanta as we are to Asheville.  We are well outside of the impacted disaster zone.

 

Below are a few notes if you have an upcoming stay with us.

 

Transportation

All major thoroughfares leading to us are now open with the exception of I-40 on the North Carolina - Tennessee border between Waynesville, NC and Knoxville, TN.  We personally keep a physical Rand McNally Motor Carriers spiral bound road atlas in our vehicle in case we ever have to detour in an area with limited GPS.  We would also encourage you to check your individual route from your hometown.  You will all be so glad to know that some of your favorite rides are open: The Tail of the Dragon, Cherohala Skyway, Wayah Road and Moonshiner 28.  Unfortunately, the Blue Ridge Parkway between Cherokee and Asheville is still closed.  

 

Fuel

The majority of the fuel in our community comes from Chattanooga.  We have plenty of gas to get you here and back.  If you are coming in the next week, we would encourage you to keep your tank half full if riding the roads as some of the more outlying areas are still cash only.

 

Food

Our Ingles grocery store is open, but their operations have been impaired by the flooding of their corporate headquarters and Asheville distribution center.  Deliveries are slow and they are currently cash only as of yesterday evening.  If you are coming in the next two weeks, the best bet may be just to stop at the nearest Walmart from your direction of travel.  We go to the one in Murphy.  Our restaurants are open for business!  It has been a bit of a ghost town here lately and the local restaurants have been hurt.  They have had to cut staff and hours.  We would encourage you to eat at least one meal at a local restaurant while in the area if possible.  You will be welcome with open arms!

 

Cell Phone Coverage

We have three bars with most carriers in our campground.  If you are out in the mountains, the coverage can be spotty, but that can be true on even the best days up here.

 

Thank you for booking a stay with us.  We look forward to hosting you.  Please don't hesitate to reach out to us if you have additional questions.

 

--

Hidden Waters RV Park & Campground

4509 Tallulah Road

Robbinsville, NC 28771

[SeaDawg]

We are switching from cleanup mode, to storm prep mode. I've never seen back to back storms like this.

Hurricane Milton will definitely mess with many communities in Florida.  Crazy crap. We rarely get west to east storms.

Back tomorrow,  maybe.

[CRM]

On 10/4/2024 at 8:48 PM, SeaDawg said:

Grateful is my most common feeling these days. Followed by guilt.

 

My wife and I know those exact feelings all too well...  We got extremely lucky with Helene. Water came within inches of coming into our home but the majority of our neighbors weren't so lucky. Many had +4 feet in their homes and lost everything. Two of our neighbors had just completed renovations in order to sell and both homes are completely destroyed. Then we think about those who have it so much worse than we and our friends do...  along with so many losing their lives and then we feel guilty for complaining at all..  We are very thankful that we and all our friends are all safe and sound, and praying that we get a miracle and Milton spares us all. I'm at the point where even though we're currently in the bullseye, that I can't hope that it turns further North or South because that just means I'm hoping someone else gets hit instead of myself and my family. I'm now getting ready to leave and I'm running from an approaching storm for the first time in my life.. Be safe everyone..

[jd1923]

21 hours ago, SeaDawg said:

We are switching from cleanup mode, to storm prep mode. I've never seen back to back storms like this.

Hurricane Milton will definitely mess with many communities in Florida.  Crazy crap. We rarely get west to east storms.

Back tomorrow,  maybe.

Sherry, which part of Florida do you live? Prayers to your family and ALL who have suffered Helene. Hope Milton is not as devastating!

[SeaDawg]

Thank you. Tampa Bay. We are now about as ready as we can get.

We will see how it plays out.

 

[topgun2]

I'm not sure what anyone can do to prevent a storm surge of 10 to 15 feet.

I pray that all those (especially you and the family and the Mossemi family) in the area of the storm remain safe. 

Certainly Milton is one powerful storm!😟

Bill