SWANNANOA, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller and Swannanoa Fire Chief Anthony Penland gave remarks to a crowd of journalists at 2 p.m. today, Oct. 8, in Swannanoa, N.C.

The pair spoke in a dusty parking lot across the street from the Swannanoa Ingles. Helicopters flew overhead while trucks unloaded supplies across the street. Behind the makeshift podium, representatives from response teams including the Swannanoa Fire Department, Buncombe County Deputies and High Point Fire Department stood at attention.

A group of responders, including Buncombe County Deputies and representatives from several fire departments, milled around before Sheriff Miller’s remarks.

Miller, a Buncombe County native, spoke in inspirational terms, commending the community for coming together to support their neighbors. He also praised the rescue and volunteer teams that have worked to clear the destruction and help trapped residents.

Yesterday, Oct. 7, Miller saw 23 response teams, each made up by a Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office Deputy and two volunteers, out into the community to clear debris and provide assistance where needed.

“No community is too remote,” Miller said. “No call for help will go unheard.”

Sheriff Miller delivered remarks to a group of journalists on Tuesday, Oct. 8 in Swannanoa, N.C.

The help the Sheriff’s Office is able to give has been bolstered by organizations around the nation. The sheriff singled out the National Guard, FEMA, and local churches and nonprofits for their work, calling them a “beacon of hope” for the county.

There were smaller victories the sheriff wanted to celebrate, too.

“We have reopened our courts, gas lines are no longer as long as they once were, people are hard at work restoring power and stores are reopening,” Miller said.

There were more specific updates, too. According to the sheriff, Buncombe County Detention Facility is fully operational, housing 256 males and 34 females, or 290 total detainees. Miller authorized the transfer of 141 detainees to other North Carolina facilities in order to maintain a responsible level of care during this crisis.

Fire Chief Penland, meanwhile, assured that he was focused on getting assistance to every part of the region.

Penland, who has worked as a fireman for 34 years, said that the flooding after Hurricane Helene was the worst that he had ever seen, including the Flood of 2004. He spoke about the personal loss he had suffered as well as the damage to the community.

“The landslide and road block took two people that I knew personally,” Penland said. “We’re still actively searching river and creek piles.”

The fire chief divided the area into 39 distinct neighborhoods and has been meeting with community leaders to coordinate rescue efforts.

“We’ll turn over every stone to find folks that are still out there,” Penland promised. “My goal is to make sure our small community, when relief comes in, are not left out.”

Swannanoa Fire Chief Anthony Penland has worked in the community for 34 years. This is the worst natural disaster damage he has seen during his time with the fire department.

This attention to detail extended to the federal response as well. Penland said that federal agencies had been going “door to door” to check on residents.

The next project for the fire chief and his rescue teams was to locate and rescue people left traditionally inaccessible by the hurricane. Certain areas suffer not just from felled trees, power lines and mudslides, but washouts too.

“The roads aren’t there,” Penland said. “We’re gonna have to rebuild.”

The process of restoring those regions is a long one. First, new roads must be put in, then dirt for new power poles. Penland specifically highlighted the Bee Tree neighborhood in Swannanoa for this long project.

One thing neither the sheriff nor the fire chief focused on was an updated death count for the region. Questions about the specific number of casualties in Buncombe County were deferred to the State Coroner.