Asheville – At a special meeting on November 1, the Buncombe County Commissioners approved a contract with a disaster recovery consultant. Sustainability Officer Jeremiah LeRoy reviewed the stages of disaster recovery. The first stage involves immediate response activities, such as search and rescue, road clearing, and service restoration. The second stage can take weeks or months and includes tasks like debris removal and providing temporary shelter for displaced individuals. The final stage encompasses rebuilding infrastructure and restoring the economy, which may take years.
Tetra Technology Disaster Recovery was selected from among 20 applicants. LeRoy cited several reasons for this choice. For instance, the company has over 25 years of experience in disaster recovery and 13 years of experience specifically in North Carolina. They have worked in over 100 countries across seven continents and have been involved in more than 100 presidentially declared disasters.
Business Unit President Jonathan Burgiel will oversee Asheville’s recovery efforts. A resident of Asheville, he has many friends who were severely affected by Hurricane Helene. According to his resume, he “is dedicated to helping communities plan for and recover from disasters and provide the necessary documentation to receive the maximum allowable reimbursement from federal and state emergency management agencies.”
In Buncombe County, in addition to managing administrative affairs, Burgiel will address the challenges posed by the hurricane to local government. One area receiving particular attention is debris management, especially finding solutions for prohibitions on trash collection from private property. He will also focus on “staff augmentation” for distribution points where civilians can pick up essentials like water, as well as establishing and managing operations centers to oversee distribution sites and train staff.
LeRoy reminded the public that November 27 is the last day to apply for hurricane aid from the federal government. “Eligible individuals” may apply for FEMA assistance to help with lodging, home repairs or replacements, reconstructing private roads and bridges, repairing wells and septic systems, paying rent, covering costs associated with displacement, and mitigating hazards. Assistance may also cover funeral and relocation expenses, as well as repair and replacement costs for vehicles and household items.
“Even if you weren’t severely impacted by this incident, it is important to apply for assistance,” said LeRoy. “We can request an extension on that deadline and likely will, but we still want folks to understand that the number of registrations plays a role in determining how many resources ultimately come to our community.”
He continued, “I’m sure you’ve heard people say, ‘Well, I wasn’t that impacted, so I don’t need to apply. I don’t want to take money out of someone else’s pocket.’ I’ve heard that from several community members. It’s not entirely accurate. We need people to register because it informs the government about the scope of the disaster and impacts the overall resources that will be allocated to us.”
Those community members may be concerned about the national debt, which is now approaching $36 trillion with interest totaling $983 billion, placing an average burden of $272,820 on each taxpayer. They were raised on JFK’s principle for building a strong economy: Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country. They are natural helpers, ready to rise to the challenge.
However, on October 22, Buncombe County issued a notice in a hurricane update stating “Restrictions regarding donations and voluntarism.” It announced that it would no longer accept “physical donations like clothes, shoes, and water” due to a lack of resources for storage and distribution. Instead, it encouraged those wishing to assist with recovery efforts to “make financial contributions to reputable organizations.”
The reputable organizations listed by the county include the United Way, the Community Foundation of WNC, and the chamber of commerce. The county recommended ABCCM, BeLoved, Bounty and Soul, Hearts with Hands, and Manna Food Bank as recipients of non-cash material goods.
“We have a strong presence from FEMA and emergency response teams from across the state and around the country,” the notice continued. “The county currently does not have opportunities available for volunteers to work outside of the emergency response structure. We want to respect people’s time and energy, so we kindly ask that they only come here if government agencies request their presence or if they have pre-arranged opportunities with community organizations.”