People Helping in Madison and Yancey Counties

Family, friends and neighbors (Alex Kramer, Rebekah Byrd, Nick and Deb Giardina and others) in Western North Carolina are connecting resources flowing in with people in inaccessible areas. They are coordinating with the local Fire Departments to reach trapped people in Madison and Yancey Counties and wherever else they can help.

FEMA and the Red Cross are in the area, but they don't know the mountains. The Fire Department and Police are at capacity. Nick Giardina is running ops from his house using the experience he gained from decades in the Volunteer Yancey County Fire Department.

The supplies they need currently are things like water, food, baby wipes (so people who haven't had water for a week can clean up) 4-Wheelers, walkie-talkies, and camping stoves (propane), batteries, Starlink.

Their main goal is to rescue and/or supply trapped people in the backcountry.

If you have supplies to donate, please take them to: Pleasant Gap Church on Double Island. Access is through Micaville end, not 197. 

Yesterday (10/02) they delivered water to fire departments in Yancey County including the Double Island Fire Dept. They were also working to get help into Relief and Jack's Creek. The bridges are gone and there are still people completely stranded.

The power lines are down, in the river and everywhere and look like spaghetti. The railroad is in the river. They are using boats to transport ATVs, as well as cables and ziplines to get across the river and into those cut-off areas. There is a whitewater rescue working with them to get people out.

While working yesterday, they heard multiple accounts of houses being washed away with families still in them, screaming for help.

Phase I - Rescue

The number one goal now is getting people to safety and / or bringing them emergency supplies.

Phase 2 - Heat

The nights are getting colder and people will need warm clothes and heat in the coming weeks and months.

Phase 3 - Recovery / Rebuild

After the immediate needs are met, the community will need money to build back.

Please donate what you can to help them rescue and help people who desperately need it. Western North Carolina is so much more than Asheville. There are countless little towns full of strong, creative and wonderful people. These towns need help. The people in the backcountry need help. They will need help for a long time. Please give what you can.

My family lives in Western North Carolina. My sister, Nan Kramer, and I don't live there anymore, but we want to send as much money as possible to provide needed resources to Yancey County.