ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — First responders from Western North Carolina are answering the call for help as the eastern part of the state prepares for Tropical Storm Debby.
Debby made landfall Monday morning in Florida as a Category 1 hurricane before downgrading to a tropical storm. Wednesday morning, the National Hurricane Center reported heavy rainfall across portions of eastern South Carolina and southeast North Carolina was expected to persist through Thursday, bringing with it the threat of considerable flooding impacts to the piedmont area of the Carolinas. According to the National Weather Service, Western North Carolina may escape the worst effects of Tropical Storm Debby, with the highest amount of rain falling along the I-77 Corridor, the western North Carolina piedmont and areas east of I-26 in Upstate South Carolina. Rain is expected to begin late Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
Meanwhile, firefighters and emergency crews from the mountains have begun traveling to areas of the state where Debby is expected to have a greater impact.
A team of 16 personnel from the Asheville Fire Department traveled to Williamston, North Carolina on Tuesday to help support the state Emergency Management agency’s storm response.
“Our team is fully committed to providing the necessary support to ensure the safety and recovery of those affected by Hurricane Debby,” Asheville Fire Chief Michael Cayse stated in a news release. “We stand ready to assist our neighboring communities in this time of need.”
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Crews with Buncombe County Emergency Management were deployed on Tuesday to the coastal region of the state as well, in order to assist local first responders with emergency efforts.
“Whatever the need, our crews are ready to assist,” a post on the agency’s Facebook page said. “While this team is deployed, Buncombe County is still staffed with dedicated water rescue crews from our Fire Departments.”
A spokesperson for Henderson County told media outlets on Tuesday that 18 members of the Henderson County Technical Rescue Team were heading to Bladen County to help area rescue teams with flooding from Debby.
“We’ll have a team of 18 — two sets of four boat teams that will go out and help evacuate people, check houses, get resources where they need to go,” Rescue Squad Chief Tim McFalls said in a county video posted online. “Whatever the locals need, we’ll be helping them with that.”
Agencies represented by the Henderson County Technical Rescue Team include:
- Blue Ridge Fire and Rescue
- Henderson County Emergency Management
- Henderson County Rescue Squad
- Henderson County EMS
- City of Hendersonville Fire Department
- Mountain Home Fire & Rescue
- Valley Hill Fire & Rescue
CLICK HERE for the latest updates on Tropical Storm Debby.