NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Monday that 30 members of the New York State Incident Management Team (IMT) have been deployed to Asheville, North Carolina, to provide critical operational support for recovery efforts following the impact of Hurricane Helene.
“New Yorkers lead by example and help our neighbors in times of despair,” Hochul said. “Our expert team and the equipment they will bring with them will help save lives and assess damage from Hurricane Helene. I thank these brave New Yorkers for answering the call and look forward to their safe return.”
At least 121 deaths in six states have been attributed to the storm — a toll that climbed Monday as a clearer picture emerged of the devastation it inflicted on an area stretching from Florida’s Gulf Coast northward to the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia. The North Carolina county that includes Asheville reported at least 35 deaths, while dozens were also killed in Georgia and South Carolina.
The IMT is a multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional team that specializes in managing incidents or events safely and effectively, regardless of size or complexity. These emergency response professionals will assist local first responders with key tasks such as search and rescue operations, structural inspections, and emergency communications.
The team will set up a stand-alone operations tent to serve as the base for conducting these activities. The first members of the IMT are expected to arrive in Asheville on Monday, with additional personnel and equipment arriving on Tuesday.
In addition to the IMT deployment, on Sunday, Hochul dispatched 17 soldiers from the Army National Guard, along with three heavy-lift helicopters, to support the North Carolina National Guard. She also sent four 100-kilowatt generators to Macon, Georgia, to aid in recovery efforts there.
Last week, Hochul deployed 16 swift water rescue personnel, two rescue canines, and emergency response equipment to North Carolina. That team is currently assigned to assist the Yancey County Emergency Management Office in recovery efforts related to the hurricane.
Desperate residents isolated by washed-out roads and the lack of power and cellular service in western North Carolina lined up Monday for fresh water and a chance to message loved ones that they were alive, days after Hurricane Helene tore through the Southeastern U.S.
North Carolina’s governor, Roy Cooper, predicted the toll would rise as rescuers and other emergency workers reached areas isolated by collapsed roads, failing infrastructure and widespread flooding.
Many main routes into Asheville were washed away or blocked by mudslides, including Interstate 40, and the city's water system was severely damaged, forcing residents to scoop creek water into buckets so they could flush toilets.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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