Six months ago, Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina taking 106 lives, including first responders. Emergency responders saved many lives in the days following the devastating storm and continue to keep communities safe as long-term rebuilding efforts progress.
The N.C. Marine Patrol’s Swift Water Rescue Team answered the call for help during Hurricane Helene, deploying their team of officers to save people from dangerous flooding conditions in Watauga County. Team Captain Chris Lee, Sgt. Edward Mann (District 1), and Sgt. Jason Parker (District 3) are among the many heroes assigned to western North Carolina communities during the unfolding disaster. Calls for help began early on September 26 from their staging location in Deep Gap.
Sgt. Edward Mann was a boat operator dispatched to Boone Fire Station 2 to assist or relieve one of the other rescue teams working to evacuate a rapidly flooding residential area. The Boone Fire Department Captain personally escorted the team to the site using his knowledge of the area to avoid flooded roadways. They arrived by 8:30 a.m. and quickly moved from house to house in the Bradford Park community, saving people and their pets.
“As a team we were able to see people in some of the worst environmentally threatening conditions and relocate them to an area that was safer,” said Sgt. Mann. " I cannot point to an individual accomplishment, but I can say that the entire team accomplished more than my highest expectations.”
Sgt. Jason Parker was assigned to areas around Appalachian State University and Meadowview Drive. His team performed several water rescues and many evacuations. In the days following the storm, they assisted with search and rescue, welfare checks and evacuation missions across Watauga County.
“One thing that impressed me is the way this community takes care of each other,” said Sgt. Parker. “As we were making our rounds after the storm, we found many people working on roads and driveways to help their neighbors. Everyone we met was happy to see us and thankful someone was out checking on folks.”
“The days after the storm were the most impactful to me, going back to rescue sites and seeing ‘normal’ levels of water and realizing the sheer power of that moving force,” said Capt. Chris Lee. “The widespread destruction was unreal, but the community was still putting one foot in front of the other and coming together to rebuild just hours after the storm passed.”
As the waters receded, their missions changed from in the moment rescues to evacuations and welfare checks. Residents were able to use officers’ state phones to contact family members to let them know they were okay.
These daring first responders with the 18-member N.C. Marine Swift Water Rescue Team share the spotlight with 70 other teams, N.C. Emergency Management, the N.C. National Guard, law enforcement agencies, fire departments, rescue squads, dispatchers, and the many volunteers whose bravery saved lives during Helene.
Capt. Lee was impressed at the number of coastal North Carolina officers who reported to western North Carolina during the storm. "I am thankful for all of them,” he said.
These first responders are trained to stay focused on saving lives white navigating harrowing conditions. Looking back, they recall the unusual intensity of Helene floodwaters. “I have lived on the East Coast of North Carolina my entire life and have seen quite a few hurricanes,” said Sgt. Parker. “I have never seen water come with such speed and destruction as with this storm. It is a blessing to be a community helper in this way beyond the law enforcement facet of our job.”
Track recovery progress by visiting the WNC Recovery data dashboard, updated weekly by the Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina (GROW NC).