Greensboro firefighters save child in western North Carolina

The extensive damage Hurricane Helene caused in western North Carolina is something Greensboro Fire Captain Tim Carrier hasn’t seen in his more than 10 years on the job.

“We started in Hickory Wednesday night, and then we moved to Transylvania County at a fire station in Brevard, and we were there Wednesday, Thursday and Friday when the storm hit,” Carrier said.

Once the storm moved out of the state, Carrier and the Greensboro Swift Water Rescue Team helped with search and rescue operations in Buncombe County.

“We spent a couple days up there, and we got to a lot of different people. We knew people were trapped and had a hard time getting out,” Carrier said.

One of those people they helped was a 10-year-old boy.

He had been separated from his family during a landslide and ended up stuck in floodwaters.
Greensboro Firefighter Chris Kingston says some of his colleagues rescued the child while he and other first responders worked to find the boy’s family.

“We helped reunite the family,” Kingston said.

It’s a rescue Kingston says he won’t forget.

“It’s an honor and just a humbling experience .. to be able to help people and be there for them,” Kingston said.

While they’re glad to be back in Greensboro after being away for 11 days, Carrier says they’re already back on the clock.

“I’m a little tired just trying to get caught up with everything and … pretty heartbroken about everything going on in western North Carolina,” Carrier said.

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