In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Western North Carolina finds itself in a dire situation.
The region, still reeling from the storm's devastation, has been left without the support of the National Guard and the U.S. Army XVIII Airborne Corps. Advocates for the victims of the hurricane report that some residents have resorted to living in tents, while hundreds anxiously await news on temporary housing.
According to The Blaze, Joint Task Force North Carolina, a combination of National Guard and active-duty Army and Air Force troops, had 4,000 members working in the region as of October 29. However, two sources have confirmed that there are currently no service members working on storm relief in the area. The National Guard reportedly withdrew within the past week.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is wrapping up work on a water treatment system near Asheville and is also involved in removing storm debris to a site near the city. The Corps is expected to continue documenting the high-water marks in North Carolina for a few more weeks, as reported on November 22.
Major Aimee Valles, a public affairs officer with the XVIII Airborne Corps, revealed to The Blaze that all Airborne Corps personnel were removed "a little more than a month ago." Army and Air Force units from the XVIII Airborne Corps had 1,500 personnel assigned to Western North Carolina in October.
The North Carolina National Guard, when contacted by The Blaze for more details on the withdrawal, referred the inquiry to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, which did not respond. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper's office also did not return a message seeking comment.
Brig. Gen. Wes Morrison, the commander of Joint Task Force North Carolina, expressed his gratitude to the troops in a letter dated November 21. He wrote, "This Joint Task Force rescued over 865 people, delivered over 22,000 tons of relief supplies, cleared over 1,600 obstacles while repairing an untold number of roadways, bridges, and culverts. Over 6,200 National Guardsmen from North Carolina and 15 other states, along with active-duty soldiers, have served in 17 affected counties."
However, the withdrawal of the troops has sparked criticism, particularly as some residents who had been housed in hotels by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are now living in tents due to the expiration of their hotel vouchers. A National Guard official told The Blaze that some residents are choosing to live in tents out of fear of losing their properties.
Woody Faircloth, founder of the Colorado-based charity EmergencyRV, has provided 35 free recreational vehicles to Western North Carolina residents since the hurricane struck in late September. He anticipates that the need will increase as the weather turns colder. "It's going to get worse before it gets better," Faircloth told The Blaze on November 25.
Faircloth also highlighted the plight of those who have been denied by FEMA and are staying in hotels. He expressed concern that these individuals will run out of money, as living in a hotel often entails eating out every night. While the RVs provided by EmergencyRV offer a solution to this issue, Faircloth acknowledged that they won't be able to help everyone.
Faircloth's charity, EmergencyRV, still has 300 requests for housing assistance. He also noted that there are approximately 1,900 FEMA hotel vouchers that will expire "at some point," which will exacerbate the need for housing.
Local residents have taken to social media to express their feelings of abandonment and frustration. One user, Glenna Ryan, posted, "Wow. What a disgrace Americans still suffering in tents, cars." Another user, under the handle Deplorable Nicholas, added, "What exactly are you celebrating? Your job is not done. There are people still sleeping in tents and in desperate need of help. Shame on you and the governor for even considering this."
Matt Van Swol, an Asheville photographer, has been documenting the plight of locals on social media throughout the fall. He reported that hundreds of people are waiting for temporary shelter across the region, but only a handful of trailer homes have been delivered by FEMA.
Van Swol was critical of the North Carolina National Guard for posting weeks-old photos on social media, as it creates the impression that Guardsmen are still at work helping people. "The NC National Guard is literally posting pure propaganda videos on X, pretending they are still in WNC helping us," Van Swol posted on November 25. "They are no longer here. Im in complete disbelief."
Van Swol's wife, Erin Derham, a documentary filmmaker, expressed frustration at the lack of media coverage of the ongoing tragedy from Helene damage. Despite reaching out to media outlets of all political affiliations, she received no response. "We have been harassed online for going on conservative news outlets, but those are the only outlets covering this story," Derham said.
Faircloth, of EmergencyRV, noted that of the more than 100 families he has spoken to in the region since Hurricane Helene, none had flood insurance. They lost everything in the storm. He said this makes the donated RVs even more important. "This is why we only deliver nice RVs. Some of these families will live in these things for the rest of their life," he said. "That's just the cold, hard facts about it."
Despite the challenges, Faircloth remains committed to his charity's work. "But its incredible work," he said. "God is definitely driving the RVs, if you know what Im saying."
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