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“When the flood happened three years ago, we could wrap our arms around the communities affected,” said Dr. Shelley White, president of Haywood Community College. “But now, we are all having to wrap our arms around each other.”
For a mountain community, Haywood County has seen its share of flooding in the last 20 years. In 2021, Tropical Depression Fred ripped through the area, causing major flooding and killing multiple people. The county also experienced flooding from back-to-back hurricanes in 2004.
But the impacts from Hurricane Helene are far greater, and the damages stretch across western North Carolina.
As of Oct. 4, five fatalities have been reported in Haywood County as a result of Helene and numerous houses are lost or have severe damage.
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Preparing for the storm
Haywood County implemented a widespread public awareness campaign asking residents to prepare for Helene’s arrival, according to a recent news report. The county had an evacuation plan that started Thursday and went into the night. Emergency personnel traveled door to door, urging residents in the flood’s path to evacuate.
Haywood Community College (HCC) also prepared. Haywood Community College announced its closure of campus for Thursday and Friday to prepare for the storm. The closure was based on a meeting with emergency management and in consultation with Haywood County Schools.
In the hours after the storm, college leaders worked with county officials, using campus parking lots as hosts sites for search and rescue crews. HCC’s IT Network Administrator, Justin Stocker, activated its emergency Wi-Fi system, a redundant internet system recently acquired through the NC Rural Broadband initiative, White said.
The Wi-Fi system proved critical to county-wide operations. Widespread power outages and communication black outs across western North Carolina have made connecting for emergency and non-emergency purposes challenging at best.
The county set up a shelter in the armory on HCC’s campus for displaced residents that includes free laundry services. The college also prepared an area for the National Guard to land Chinooks, which are heavy-lift cargo helicopters used in disaster relief operations.
Leading in crisis: How the college is responding
Hearing the constant whirring of helicopters flying overhead hour after hour means you know something bad is happening, White said. However, the noise also means that help has arrived.
This is White’s second flood in her presidency at HCC.
The impacts are far and wide, she said, and she’s determined the college will do all it can to serve the community during this time.
The first phase of the college’s disaster recovery was making sure college employees were safe, which wasn’t easy.
While the college had their emergency Wi-Fi system in place, the majority of the county was without any form of communication. It took days to confirm all employees were accounted for, and many incurred severe damage to their homes.
The college is now assessing student and employee needs.
Last week, the college set up a landing page on their website for employees and students that lists where to find supplies, food, water, showers, and clothing. Students can apply directly on the page for financial support and list their current needs.
HCC hopes to bring employees back to campus by Oct. 14 and students back by Oct. 16.
The people of Haywood County
Neighbors Linda and Joseph are long-time residents of Haywood County.
Joseph has been in his house 32 years. His mother originally owned the home.
It’s a very special place to me, he said.
But after four floods in 20 years, Joseph said it is tiring to keep doing the same thing over and over.
While Linda and Joseph sustained some damage to their homes, they acknowledged it was much worse in other parts of the county. One street over, houses were completely destroyed, Joseph said.
Ace Anderson’s dad stood outside their home screaming that people were trapped in a car as flood waters filled the streets of Canton. He jumped into action to rescue the trapped couple.
“That’s when he told me to go inside,” Anderson, a student at HCC, said. “He didn’t want me to see what could happen next.”
Emergency crews arrived sometime during the chaos and began pulling individuals to safety.
Anderson is one of many residents across western North Carolina with similar accounts as Hurricane Helene barreled through the state causing record flooding and devastation.
In the wake of Helene, Anderson has found solace in a downtown Canton shop.
Geek Mountain has been opening its doors, offering game tables and comfort for community members in the days after Helene.
It’s been good to talk to people, Anderson said. The communication blackouts have been daunting for many residents.
Anderson said the storm has made her think about a number of things, including how people should be responding.
“This is the time we put our differences aside because we all need to work together,” Anderson said.
In the weeks to follow
It’s too early to know the full scope of student, employee, and community needs, White said.
“We are taking things day by day,” she said.
And while Haywood County took on significant damage, it’s just one county in western North Carolina.
“We are one of many,” White said.
Initially, 25 counties were included in the federal disaster declaration, including Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey counties, and the Qualla Boundary. Swain and Mecklenburg counties were added to the federal disaster declaration as of Oct. 6, 2024.
Editor’s note: This article was updated after publication to reflect ongoing updates in the emergency response.
