At Tuesday's Buncombe County press meeting on Oct. 8, officials discussed the latest updates for Buncombe County's healing post-Helene , including FEMA assistance, power outages, donation centers and mental health resources.
Dr. Richard Zenn, chief medical officer at Vaya Health, recognized that the slow road to recovery can be a stressful, depressing process and encouraged residents to connect with others, look after at-risk individuals and ask for help if needed.
Though slow and painful, progress continues to unfold in Buncombe County. Here are the latest updates on county resources and procedures.
More: Helene in Western North Carolina: Everything you need to know from help to recovery efforts
FEMA assistance in Asheville
FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is offering grants for disaster survivor assistance, approving 14,000 applications in Buncombe County so far.
To register for FEMA assistance, download the FEMA app, call 1-800-621-3362 or visit a representative from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Oct. 8 at one of these locations:
- Ingles Market - 550 NC 9, Black Mountain
- AB Tech Shelter - 16 Fernihurst Drive, Asheville
- Park Square Park - 80 Court Plaza, Asheville
- Community of Emma (Spanish Speaking) - 528 Emma St., Asheville
- New Bridge Baptist Church - 199 Elkwood Ave., Asheville
- Laundry Use Trailer, Basilica of St. Lawrence - 97 Haywood St., Asheville
- Walmart - 60 Airport Road, Arden
When will power be restored in Buncombe County?
As of 9 a.m. on Oct. 8, 59,000 Duke Energy customers in Buncombe County are without power , a significant decrease from the 149,000 without power immediately following Tropical Storm Helene.
Duke Energy crews continue to work around the clock to restore electricity to Buncombe County, according to County Manager Avril Pinder, prioritizing the hardest-hit communities as they rebuild. The biggest challenges are fallen trees and washed out roads, which limits access to the power lines.
There is currently no set date for power restoration. On its website , Duke Energy declares it hopes to have the work done sometime next week, but it also warns that it may take longer depending on the specific outage.
More: Western NC power outage map: Thousands still without electricity as Duke Energy works to restore
Donation centers in Asheville
The best way to donate to Buncombe County is through financial contributions to recognized disaster relief organizations, which can be found on the county website . However, there are also many donation centers in Asheville collecting food, toiletries and cleaning supplies. Currently, hand sanitizer is the most needed item.
The following donation sites are open for drop off of small donations from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Oct. 8:
- Harrah’s Cherokee Center - 87 Haywood St., Ashevulle
- Aaron's - 1298 Patton Ave., Asheville
- Arden Presbyterian Church - 2215 Hendersonville Road, Asheville
Buncombe County trash collection
Trash collection will continue on its regular route Tuesday Oct. 8 and Wednesday Oct. 9. Drop-off for bagged household trash will be at the following dates and locations:
- Tuesday Oct. 8: A-B Tech Enka - 1459 Sandhill Road, Asheville. Hours are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
- Wednesday Oct. 9:
- Charles Bell Elementary School - 90 Maple Springs Road, Asheville
- Owen Pool - 117 Stone Drive, Swannanoa
- Starting Wednesday Oct. 9: Buncombe County Transfer Station - 190 Hominy Creek Road, Asheville. Hours are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday.
Pinder reminded residents not to include any storm debris in their regular trash, including yard debris, construction debris, carpet and concrete. The county is currently working on a separate debris pickup plan. Residents can download the AVL Collects app for updates about trash, recycling and debris collection.
Buncombe County sewage update
General Manager of the Metropolitan Sewage District (MSD) Tom Hardy assured that the county's sewage plant stayed operational throughout the entire storm. Although backup generators were needed and many eroded areas need to be fixed, the sewage plant did not flood, meaning people can flush toilets if they have water to do so.
However, Hardy advises checking personal plumbing systems for damage before flushing. For sewage emergencies, call 828-768-0540.
How to get help if in distress
While federal and local disaster relief organizaions are available for help recovering from Helene's physical damage, Dr. Zenn of Vaya Health emphasized the importance of resources for the emotional and mental toll of the storm. Here is Zenn's list of recommended hotlines for those in distress:
- National crisis lifeline: call or text 988
- NC peer warmline (peer counseling): 1-855-PEERS NC
- Vaya behavioral health crisis line: 1-800-849-6127
- Volunteer & first responder support: 1-855-587-3463
- Crisis counseling hotline: 1-800-985-5990
- Recovery resources (pharmacy, health care): visit the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) online .
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Buncombe Helene updates: Where to drop trash, donation centers, FEMA, mental health resources
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