TRYON, N.C. (WSPA) – First responders in Western North Carolina are continuing to assess disaster recovery efforts more than six weeks after Helene tore through the region.
Town of Tryon Fire Department Chief Josh Walton told 7NEWS he is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to clear the debris Helene left behind.
“Right now the Army Corps of Engineers have a plan to come in for debris removal,” said Walton. “We’ve worked on some of the bridges that were gone, but we haven’t gotten really far on that as of yet, but the plan is in place.”
Walton said his team has worked with The National Guard and task force to clear damage from the Pacolet Valley area and others heavily impacted. However, the work is far from over.
He said around 60 to 75 percent of the damage Helene left behind has yet to be cleared in Polk County. His department is working with emergency management on a game plan.
“Moving forward we continue to assess trees down, and trees on houses, more of the mild rescues, they were not in danger, but they needed an evacuation, and that transitioned into Tryon becoming a distribution point for this community,” Walton also said.
Walton added the town of Tryon has served hundreds of families as a distribution point in the wake of Helene, providing food, water and hygiene supplies to those in need.
“We got a lot of donations to us, the town hall set up, volunteers came into the town, and really stepped up,” Walton went on to say.
