Search and rescue teams have been finding more success as improved communications and reinforcement by military personnel aid the efforts in response to Hurricane Helene's aftermath in Western North Carolina. According to a statement released by Governor Roy Cooper's website, on Saturday alone, air rescue operations managed to swiftly locate 39 survivors, with the total number of people rescued or assisted now exceeding 6,500 since the hurricane struck.
Resources and manpower have ramped up with 50 teams deploying more than 1,600 responders over the last 10 days. Around 1,700 North Carolina National Guard members, along with 1,000 active-duty military personnel, have joined local and state emergency responders to quickly expedite search and rescue missions in the challenging terrain. An additional 500 active-duty soldiers are expected to join the efforts, with soldiers from Fort Liberty and Fort Campbell already on the ground providing crucial support.
In his latest update on Governor Roy Cooper's website, Governor Cooper said, "Continuing search and rescue missions in rough terrain, better communications and more resources on the ground are helping as we race to find missing people, reunite families and coordinate the delivery of supplies." He also expressed his gratitude towards those stepping up to support the impacted communities.
Communications infrastructure, essential for coordinating the response, is seeing significant improvements. Cellular service providers are now reporting about an 80 percent restoration of service coverage in the affected areas. To further support telecom partners in the hard-to-reach places, FEMA teams plan to install a fiber optic cable. An additional 30 Starlink satellite systems, instrumental to the restoration process, have also been deployed to support both the North Carolina Emergency Response Center and mobile locations. These advancements are streamlining the capabilities to not only swiftly conduct but to also more effectively coordinate ongoing search and rescue activities.
Local residents and crews working through the debris are being cautioned to stay mindful of the critical communications infrastructure, such as fiber optic cables and cell towers, to avoid any interruptions in service. As repairs continue, a recommendation has been made for individuals in the area to periodically restart their cellphones in order to reconnect to the repaired networks and ensure access to these communication services is maintained.
