NC Guard Go Door to Door after Tropical Storm Helene

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. - Tucked away in the mountainous terrain of Western North Carolina is a town called Waynesville where thousands of families endured the devastating aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene.

With blocked roadways and debilitating circumstances, some locals found it difficult to travel to distribution sites and obtain essential items.

In response, the N.C. National Guard partnered with Haywood County Health and Human Services to carry out the Post Event Canvasing Operation project.

This large-scale project was designed to bring resources straight to residents’ front doors.

Guardsmen, assigned to the 113th Sustainment Brigade, loaded up a plethora of supplies in a Light Medium Tactical Vehicle and drove out to the local neighborhoods of Waynesville.

These Tarheel heroes went house to house knocking on doors to provide resources, offer supplies, and identify needs.

“We’re utilizing the Army Core values by ensuring no one is left behind,” said Sgt. Jason Castaneda with the 196th Signal Company.

These values included ALL members of the family. Therefore, piles of dog food were given away to ensure even our four-legged friends had support.

The PECO project showcased how local agencies and military capabilities were able to join forces amid a large-scale event that required a large-scale response.

“The more we work together, the better our response is and the better our community recovers,” said Tori Morgensai, the PECO Project Group Coordinator.