Hurricane Helene – Deployment of Swiftwater/Floodwater Rescue Team to North Carolina 

The State of North Carolina made a direct request for MI-TF1 assistance through the EMAC system after remnants of Hurricane Helene brought devastating flooding and landslides in the western part of that state. MI-TF1 received approval from MSP EMHSD to deploy a Type 1 Swiftwater/Floodwater Rescue Team on 9/26, composed of 19 members, 6 vehicles and trailers, and 6 boats.  The team arrived at its designated check-in location in Conover, NC and was immediately tasked with rescues needed in Burke County.  After a long night of missions and some quick rest, the team was sent to Chimney Rock, in Rutherford County,  one of the worst hit areas in western NC.  There the team worked with the local county EM and Fire Department on Search and Rescue missions over the next 5 days. 

The team worked jointly alongside NC10 Swiftwater Team and NY-TF1 (Type 3 TF), rescuing and evacuating dozens of residents who were cut off from the raging flood waters as bridges and roads were completely destroyed.  The destruction to this infrastructure, along with the terrain, proved challenging as our team worked to gain access into the Chimney Rock area.   Team operations included the building an elevated rope-transfer system used for ferrying a boat across a river to move rescued victims across, and SAR missions on foot into mountain areas to search homes for stranded residents.  Members were also involved in three helicopter missions because of the isolated areas created by impassable roads and bridges.

Total mission time, MI-TF1 conducted:

• •  3 Helicopter Operations
  •  1,680 total waypoints logged into SARCOP based on missions (victims, search locations, structures searched, vehicles searched, infrastructure damage, hazards identified, etc.)
  • 12,875 acres covered during Search and Rescue operations 
  • 124 contacts with civilians during operations