In the Wake of Hurricane Helene

When Hurricane Helene struck western North Carolina in September 2024, it caused widespread destruction but also revealed the strength and cooperation of local communities. While towns like Marshall suffered catastrophic flooding, neighboring Mars Hill was largely spared and quickly mobilized to support others. Mars Hill reactivated a long-unused water interconnection to supply a neighboring town with clean water and sent aid to multiple towns in the region. This disaster fostered a renewed spirit of collaboration, with towns sharing resources, infrastructure, and support. The experience has inspired ongoing conversations about preparedness and reinforced the value of regional partnerships in times of crisis. 

When Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina in September 2024, it did not just uproot trees and flood streets; it also unearthed something deeper—the strength and solidarity of the communities it impacted. A storm of this magnitude had not struck the region in over a century, yet the devastation it left behind served to highlight the resilience of its residents and leaders as it ushered in collaboration amongst neighboring towns unprecedented in recent years.

As the storm barreled towards the North Carolina mountains, towns in Madison County, just 15 miles outside of Asheville, heeded the warnings—they gave preemptive state of emergency declarations, organized first responders and sent out public works employees to ensure drains were clear and the dams were secure. Police and fire departments went door-to-door warning residents and encouraging them to evacuate. The area experienced soaking rains in the days prior to the storm, raising water levels to flood stage even before the hurricane arrived—reminiscent of the devastating flood of 1916.

The storm hit Madison County on September 27, 2024, causing towns to quickly lose power and most forms of communication. First responders were called to numerous accidents and performed water rescues along the Ivy River.

In the aftermath of the storm, towns in the region found very different outcomes. Marshall experienced record flooding over 20-feet high. The wastewater treatment plant experienced a catastrophic failure, about 30 homes were damaged and 13 destroyed and more than 100 businesses were impacted. Forrest Gilliam, Marshall’s town administrator, shared that town staff had moved items out of the town hall basement and placed boxes on top of desks to avoid flooding, but ultimately it was not enough as the town hall was inundated with water, breaking every window and leveling one wall of the building.

Just six miles to the east, Mars Hill found only minor issues to the town infrastructure; the town experienced little impact to its water and wastewater system, the dam was not flooded, nor were there any overflows of its pump stations and the town’s generators had turned on as they were supposed to, keeping the wastewater plant operational.

“We had evaluated that we didn’t suffer any damage [to our infrastructure]. It was one of those things where we couldn’t believe that we didn’t have a problem,” Nathan Bennett, Mars Hill town manager, said. “It was just really odd in a way because it is not an unusual thing for us to get overwhelmed in that kind of event.”

Despite the extensive damage in the surrounding areas, Mars Hill found itself as a small haven from the destruction; however, this did not stop the town from engaging in the recovery efforts in the days following and, rather, it spurred them on to become a hub of support for the nearby towns.

AN UNUSED CONNECTION REESTABLISHED
On the Sunday following Hurricane Helene, Mars Hill power was restored, yet most communication lines were still down. At this time, Weaverville’s public works director drove the eight miles between towns with a request to turn on a long dormant connection between the towns.

In 2007, due to a severe drought in North Carolina, Mars Hill’s water supply neared critically low levels, prompting a conversation amongst town officials with neighboring Weaverville, which had a water plant along the Ivy River and additional capacity in water supply. Ultimately, the towns agreed to the creation of a bidirectional water interconnection between them; however, the interconnection has remained unused since its initial installation in 2008.

After the hurricane, Weaverville’s water supply was down due to flooding of their water intake plant where the vaults that were typically filled with water were instead filled with sand and silt. The town asked if it would be possible to turn the interconnection on and for Mars Hill to provide clean water to Weaverville. Coincidentally, in the weeks prior to the storm, town leaders from both towns had been in discussions about testing the connection and had plans to run a test the first week in October—that planned test ultimately turned into the actual usage of the system, but those discussions had prepared the towns and equipped them with the information needed to respond quickly.

The following day, the interconnection was turned on, and despite the lines not having been tested for years prior, the system worked seamlessly. Mars Hill was able to provide Weaverville with over 468,000 gallons of water over the course of four days. This water was used for residents and allowed the public works department to clean out the water treatment plant.

“All of our predecessors never envisioned that we were going to be the ones sending water from Mars Hill. It was envisioned that Mars Hill be the one that would need the water,” Bennett said. “[The towns] have really recognized how valuable that cooperation has turned out to be. It may have taken 15 years to ever realize that because it has just been sitting there and neither one of us have needed it, but when we needed it, it worked.”

CROSSING BOUNDARIES TO SUPPORT NEIGHBORING TOWNS
Immediately following the storm, Mars Hill public works crew members traveled to nearby Marshall and Hot Springs to assist the towns’ maintenance crews in shutting off water to homes that were no longer standing and to make other repairs along their water lines.

In addition to the water supplied to Weaverville, Mars Hill also became a water distribution point for other nearby towns. The town sent another 300,000 gallons of water by tanker truck to the town of Burnsville whose water intake system was destroyed in the storm, along with Marshall, Spruce Pine, Swannanoa and Black Mountain.

“[Mars Hill staff was] there Sunday afternoon. We did not have to ask them, they were just there,” Gilliam said. “I think that would have taken twice as long without [them]. It was a tremendous help and was encouraging as well. It was good to have the labor, but to know the support was there meant a lot mentally to everybody.”

Mars Hill also coordinated the delivery and distribution of needed supplies. Individual towns likely would not have been able to obtain a delivery for a small order, but when the towns placed one bulk order, they were able to secure delivery from outside of the state and then Mars Hill distributed to the towns in need. “Just them talking to the vendor and making the offer [helped]. There were so many things that we could not even think about because we were focused on [other priorities],” Gilliam said.

Since Mars Hill had internet access provided through FEMA, they opened their doors to Spruce Pine and to Marshall, which was especially needed after the loss of the town hall. The towns were able to run payroll and other necessary duties despite many means of communications still being down. Even seven months after the storm, Marshall still visits Mars Hill each month to use equipment that has not yet been able to be replaced.

REBUILDING WITH A CULTURE OF COLLABORATION
As towns push forward with rebuilding, this experience remains with them. There is a recognition of the value of towns working together and further discussions on how they can pool resources to better prepare their communities for any future disasters.

“I think the real-world experience with having the interconnection with Weaverville has changed the conversation,” Bennett said. “It has made folks realize … it could be us next time. I think [there have been] a lot of lessons learned and a lot of things on how being cooperative with your fellow neighbors is great.”

After seeing the value of having a water connection between neighboring towns, Mars Hill is now in discussions with Marshall about the potential for creating an interconnection between those towns, as well.

Desmond Worrell, disaster recovery field representative with the League and western North Carolina native, has visited over 50 towns impacted by the storm and has seen firsthand how towns have stood together and how they are already working to build back their towns even stronger than before.

“The people recognize that Helene was really terrible, but there are now opportunities for them to become more resilient so if something like this does happen again, or any type of disaster, they are better equipped and more prepared to deal with it,” Worrell said.

In addition to considering those types of preparations, Bennett shared the sense of camaraderie that has grown amongst towns and the increased willingness to support each other. One small example that occurred in the months following the storm is when Mars Hill’s garbage truck went down, and the town needed a temporary replacement vehicle. Bennett reached out to both Weaverville and Marshall with a request for assistance and received immediate offers from both towns for the use of their vehicles.

“That is the kind of cooperation. We have always been there, but it is a lot closer now than it has ever been,” Bennett said.

Likewise, Gilliam spoke of a kindled desire to be able to assist other towns in the same way Marshall was supported following the storm.

“They helped prop us up and move us along and there will come a time where … we will be more mindful when we see something happen somewhere else,” Gilliam said. “When we are in a better place … I know that personally I will be knocking on the door of another town to offer to help them myself.”

THE DEEPER SIGNIFICANCE OF SUPPORT
Beyond the practical benefits of assistance, western North Carolina towns have found strength in the widespread support they’ve received from across the state and the country. For Gilliam, that outpouring of care has been deeply meaningful and something that will remain with him.

“It means a tremendous amount at any time when you go through something, to know that others care,” Gilliam said. “Nothing mattered to people except how they could help … and I will never forget it.”

Worrell has heard similar sentiments from residents across western North Carolina as individuals have looked beyond any differences and found common ground with fellow citizens.

“Their outlook has been, ‘you’re a human being, you’re a neighbor—how can I help you?’ And you’re still seeing that now with people recognizing there are others who are struggling and being willing to do all they can to help,” Worrell said.

Likewise, this experience has resonated with towns who did not experience the same level of devastation and who were instead able to step in and support neighboring communities.

“To have been blessed for some reason to not have been impacted by the storm itself in any significant way, and to be in a position to provide resources to those communities has been very rewarding. And I think that comes from both the town government and the community here,” Bennett said.

Despite the destruction and the loss that Hurricane Helene brought to North Carolina, the storm also left in its wake a growing spirit of community and camaraderie. These mountain towns have proved their resilience in the past and continue to show it in the efforts to rebuild today.

“I know that we have a long road ahead of us, but I am confident that we are all going to come out of it stronger in a few years, and we are never going to forget this,” Gilliam said. “It is part of what shapes us as a town and shapes us each as individuals.”