ASHE COUNTY, N.C. — Ashe County has been hit especially hard. Many small towns are suffering right now, with no way to get some much-needed supplies.
The Ashe County Emergency Operations Center has been fully operational since Friday morning, coordinating closely with federal, state, and local agencies.
Since Saturday, the county says 399 plane loads of supplies have arrived. Volunteer groups have also been integrated into operations to deliver food and water to remote and isolated areas, according to the county.
Ashe County Emergency Management said if you would like to volunteer, please contact this number 336-877-7764.
Within the county, Fleetwood, West Jefferson, and Warrensville are experiencing a lot of devastation.
Fleetwood's Volunteer Fire and Rescue says its area is in need of Benadryl, battery packs to charge phones, matches and charcoal, and other basic needs like paper towels, bread, and toilet paper.
Cell signal is in and out in Fleetwood, and power is restored in some places and dark in others.
Conley Cheek Bridge was damaged during the storm, and the fire department says the railroad-grade road has a lot of damage as well.
In West Jefferson, the United Methodist Church is taking donations for Ashe County.
People who live there say areas between and along the New River from the High Water Bridge are seeing a lot of devastation.
West Jefferson City says: “The road to recovery will be long, but if there's one thing we know, it's this: Appalachia's spirit is unshakable.”
Finally, up in Warrensville, emergency responders are encouraging people who are traveling to use extreme caution.
Crews like DOT and BREMCO are working hard to open roads and make them safe for travel.
Warrensville Fire Department wants the public to make sure they aren’t moving barricades. The department says these have been put in place for everyone’s safety, and many roads and bridges have been compromised or destroyed completely.
Our news team is headed into Creston, too. Residents said many of the roads in Creston are washed away.
We will continue to keep you updated with the latest information about western North Carolina's recovery from Helene.
MORE WAYS TO GET WFMY NEWS 2
Download the WFMY News 2 APP from your Apple or Google Play store.
ADD THE WFMY+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for WFMY.
Amazon Fire TV: Search for WFMY to find the free app to add to your account. You can also add the app directly to your Fire TV through your Amazon account.
