North Carolina
Task Force 10 reflects on rescue efforts in western North Carolina
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – A team of eastern Carolina first responders are reflecting on their humbling experience in the western part of the state, as homes and lives were forever transformed by Tropical Storm Helene.
North Carolina knows all too well the impacts of natural disasters. Teams like NC Task Force 10, which is made up of first responders from Greenville and New Bern’s Fire/Rescue departments, also know distance doesn’t matter when it comes to helping fellow North Carolinians out.
After thirteen days of extensive search and rescue efforts were made on land, on mountains and through coursing waters, the 20 members of NC Task Force 10 made it home on October 8, changed and humbled by the experience.
“When you get a chance to slow down and relax and understand what people have lost, that does start taking a toll on you,” said Capt. Brad Johnston.
The team helped with emergency operations and life-saving missions in Polk, Rutherford and McDowell counties.
Capt. Brad Johnston from Greenville Fire and Rescue looked back on his team’s work, saying one challenge they encountered was western North Carolina’s terrain.
“We’re very familiar with a lot of flood water in eastern North Carolina, but we weren’t very familiar with mudslides,” said Johnston. “That’s what we encountered at the beginning of navigating through mudslides and then navigating on mountain roads.”
The task force teamed up with several fire and rescue departments from North Carolina and beyond to rescue, evacuate and search for people trapped by the storm’s devastation including some that helped in eastern North Carolina when Florence hit in 2018.
“Florence hit New Bern years ago, and for us, we had so many outside units come help us out,” said Capt. Stephen Jasset. “So for us to go to the western part of the state to help them out it was kind of rewarding for the rescuers to be able to give that back.”
A full circle moment of help repaid, as the mission to aid others continues in western North Carolina.
The task force said they were able to assist four people, evacuate eleven and rescue four individuals. They also were called to more than 30 shelter-in-place missions to make sure people who stayed in their homes were safe.
According to Governor Roy Cooper’s office, more than 1,600 responders from 38 state and local agencies conducted missions in the western part of the state in the wake of Helene’s devastation.
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Friends and family members gathered in Washington state on Saturday, remembering former Miss North Carolina Carrie Everett, who died on Easter Sunday. Another memorial service is planned in North Carolina next month.
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Virginia 3, North Carolina 0 | First Quarter
Virginia 3, North Carolina 0 | Q1 8:19
After a faceoff win by Henry Metz, Brendan Millon finds Truitt Sunderland to give the Hoos a 3-0 lead. Timeout North Carolina.
Virginia 2, North Carolina 0 | Q1 9:00
Brendan Millon gets the scoring started for the Cavaliers with a question mark style goal. On the defensive end, Jake Marek opens the game with three early saves with his third save setting up a transition goal by Tommy Snyder.
Virginia vs North Carolina pregame notes
UVA owns a 59-33 advantage since the series began in 1938.
The 59 wins are UVA’s most against any opponent in program history (followed by 51 against Duke).
In Chapel Hill last year, the Tar Heels defeated the Cavaliers 18-9, snapping UVA’s six-game series win streak.
UVA has won nine of the last 11 meetings, dating back to 2018.
The Hoos have won the last two meetings with Carolina at Klöckner Stadium, 11-4 in 2022 and 14-6 in 2024.
The Tar Heels’ four goals in 2022 marked the fewest goals in a game under Joe Breschi, who was named UNC’s head coach in 2006.
The last time the Tar Heels knocked off the Cavaliers at Klöckner was a 16-13 decision during the first of three games between the two teams in 2021.
Later that year, UVA claimed back-to-back meetings against the Heels, including in the NCAA semifinals on the way to capturing the 2021 national title over Maryland.
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HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Fire crews are responding to a brush fire near Howard Gap Road in Hendersonville on Friday evening.
The fire is across the street from the Ebenezer Baptist Church and near the Highlands Square Shopping Center.
Henderson County Fire Marshal Glen Gillette said crews are fighting “blowdown from Helene.”
NEW WILDFIRES IGNITE IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA FOREST AMID WORSENING DROUGHT
Around 11 p.m., the fire appears larger than it did an hour ago because crews are backburning, which refers to using fire to help control the wildfire.
Dana Fire Department Chief Jimmy Womack said that what was a 3-acre fire an hour ago will be an 8-acre fire due to back burning. He said the fire is 80% contained.
Womack said the cause of the fire is unknown, but one of the conditions contributing to the blaze is the Helene blowdown.
“There’s a lot of blowdown in these woods behind us. That’s what creates most of the problem,” said Womack.
Womack said there has been no property damage and no injuries have been reported for this fire in the woods that 24 personnel are fighting. They got the call to arrive at 6:05 p.m.
LOCAL NEWS
Dana Fire and Rescue and Henderson County Fire Department are supporting the U.S. Forest Service with this fire.
Glen said no structures are threatened at this time and Howard Gap Road is closed.
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This story will be updated as new information is discovered.
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