Sauer speaks on WNC in aftermath of Helene

Over six days in western North Carolina assisting in what may be one of that areas worst natural disasters, Sampson’s EMS director said he witnessed heartbreaking devastation, hundreds of volunteers reaching out a helping hand, the challenge of misinformation and, above everything else, hope.

Rick Sauer, emergency management director for Sampson, shared stories of his time in Waynesville with Sampson County commissioners Monday night, just hours after he returned from the area.

“It was heartbreaking disaster, and sometimes disasters bring people together, and that’s what we saw while we were there” Sauer told the commissioners.

Sauer arrived in Waynesville Wednesday night, and, he said the team he was with went to work immediately at 7 a.m Thursday morning, Sept 26.

He worked with the Haywood County Sheriff’s Department, coordinating the evacuation of the detention center, and other facilities in the county, such as nursing centers.

“We had a difficult time communicating,” Sauer acknowledged, noting they lost all electrical power. “We lost all cell service and public radio communication, too,” he attested.

He said they did 65 rescues Thursday night into Friday morning. By Saturday, there was limited radio communication, and every town was still without water services.

“That Sunday morning we realized that we were overwhelmed and needed additional resources,” Sauer explained, noting that even the rescue workers were in need of help.

He said teams from Indiana and Kentucky arrived first to assist with aid to residents. They delivered first aid, water, and food to locals, with the help of crews from Raleigh, Ohio, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Maryland, and elsewhere.

“During the six-day operation, we had 921 missions using 41 different agencies,” he recalled.

At that time, 700 people in and around Waynesville were reported missing. “The big part of that was communication,” Sauer noted, stating that anyone accounted for who could not get in touch with someone was considered missing, but most were due to only lack of phone and internet service.

“On Friday, Oct. 4, 95 percent of the water and sewer was restored in the county, and 96 percent of the power was restored (in Haywood County).”

Unfortunately, Sauer said, five fatalities were discovered.

He Sampson County 911 operation manager Cliff Brown was deployed to McDowell County where they faced similar challenges.

While many fire, EMS, and law enforcement personnel volunteered to go, they only took a limited number, he said. “We had to measure resources and make sure we still had coverage here (for Sampson County residents).

“Several fire departments, from Newton Grove, Harrells, Taylors Bridge and Clinton were deployed to western North Carolina to different locations. Turkey and Piney Grove were on stand-by, but did not deploy.”Sauer said. “The Sheriff’s Department sent six members.”

He also added that local fire departments are collecting extra equipment and gear for those departments utterly destroyed by Hurricane Helene, so they can have some necessary items to cover calls. Many, Sauer said, will have to rebuild and restock their fire houses.

“One fire department I visited was operating from a church parking lot because there were no buildings,” he stressed.

And, he added, one of the biggest challenges was getting drinking water and food to those in need. Sauer’s group took eight pallets of drinking water with them to distribute.

“There were food insecurity challenges that I hope we helped solve before we left,” Sauer said, also noting that the ability to get gas for vehicles and generators was seriously lacking. “It was there in the ground, but without electricity we couldn’t pump it.”

The EMS director also assured that, despite rumors to the contrary, FEMA was there, on the ground, helping citizens in need.

He added that a “phenomenal amount of resources are flooding into the area now.

But Sauer also came back with a warning for residents.

“Be prepared” he said of the lesson learned. “Each person needs to be prepared with supplies for five to seven days. Food, water. medicine.”

He mention the current hurricane in the gulf, but thinks Milton will go across Florida, out into the Atlantic, and he reassured the commissioners that they will keep an eye on things as they develop.

Commissioner chairman Jerol Kivett thanked Sauer and the teams that answered the call, as other commissioners followed up with their appreciation.