USACE Louisville District deploys debris team in support of Hurricane Helene recovery

By Charles DelanoOctober 2, 2024

Dehryl Middleton, Debris Subject Matter with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, takes a photo of a landslide that is blocking access along Highway 9 during a debris assessment in Swannanoa, N.C., Oct. 1, 2024. ...
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Dehryl Middleton, Debris Subject Matter with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, takes a photo of a landslide that is blocking access along Highway 9 during a debris assessment in Swannanoa, N.C., Oct. 1, 2024.

USACE continues to work with state, local and federal partners and, when tasked, are ready to bring our unique capabilities to respond in the areas of power restoration, debris removal and waste water mitigation during Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Ernest Henry)
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Louisville District deploys debris team in support of Hurricane Helene recovery
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Mark Cardwell, Louisville District Debris Subject Matter Expert makes observations and documents storm debris in Western North Carolina, Oct. 01, 2024. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working in partnership with the local, state, and federal agencies to support Hurricane Helene recovery. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo ) VIEW ORIGINAL
Debris Assessment in Swannanoa, NC
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A destroyed automotive facility was observed during a debris assessment conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Swannanoa, N.C., Oct. 1, 2024. Debris removal along with power restoration and wastewater mitigation are essential missions throughout the recovery process.

USACE continues to work with our state, local and federal partners and, when tasked, are ready to bring our unique capabilities to respond during the Hurricane Helene recovery effort. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Ernest Henry)
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SWANNANOA, N.C. — Subject matter experts with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District are deploying to areas in North Carolina and Florida that were impacted by Hurricane Helene. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has issued mission assignments to USACE to provide technical assistance in planning and coordinating the scope of potential debris missions for affected areas in North Carolina.

“A preliminary team has been deployed to start to quantify the scope and challenges of this massive cleanup effort in Western North Carolina,” said Bob Burick, Louisville District emergency operations manager. “The Louisville District Debris Team has experience responding to extreme debris situations in the mountainous region of Eastern Kentucky, so we are uniquely qualified to help these overwhelmed communities.”

As part of a much larger Army and Department of Defense team working to support our federal, state, and local partners, the debris team will begin initial debris assessments prioritizing life, health, and safety of all who are affected by Hurricane Helene.

“We have deployed six debris team members from Louisville District with another six deploying in coming days to assist with the recovery,” said George Minges, chief, Louisville District Emergency Operations. “We are united in effort to get those affected by the storm back on their feet and return them to a sense of normalcy.”