The North Carolina Department of Public Safety continues to update information for people across North Carolina with the latest on Hurricane Helene disaster recovery. Included is an extensive list of Frequently Asked Questions.
Here is a partial list of topics:
- I have an emergency or need rescue. What can I do?
- Call 911 for any emergencies. While some 911 centers are down in western NC, their calls are being routed to other counties in central and eastern NC.
- I have questions about food, shelter, roadways, or need other general non-emergency information. Who can I call?
- You may call 211 for any non-emergency related questions.
- I have a loved one in Western NC who I cannot contact. How can I get a welfare check?
- You can call 211 to report a missing person or to request a welfare check. Please note that 211 is not an emergency processing resource and any emergencies should be routed to 911.
- Can I get around in Western NC? What are road conditions?
- If you do not need to travel for an emergency reason, stay off the roadways. You can see the current roadway conditions by visiting DriveNC.Gov.
- I cannot stay at home and need shelter. Where can I find out what to do?
- Visit ReadyNC.Gov for sheltering information and follow your local government’s social media and website for more information.
- My home or community has damage. What is next?
- Damage assessments will be scheduled with impacted communities and counties where damage to homes, structures, and public infrastructure. This begins after any flood waters have receded and active response to life-safety hazards are completed.
- How does my local government know what to do in a disaster recovery situation?
- Meetings are promptly scheduled with local jurisdictions by state officials to outline the recovery process and to plan for debris management operations as soon as emergency response efforts are completed.
- What is damage assessment and why is it important to recovery?
- The results of the damage assessments will lead to what disaster recovery avenues are eligible as outlined in state and federal law. Each state and federal disaster program are structured so that certain thresholds have to be met to determine eligibility. Damage assessments determine if those thresholds are met and what the extent on the damages are from the disaster.