Flash Report #10 Hurricane Helene

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• On Oct. 2, Gov. Bill Lee announced approval of his request for an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration for Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi, and Washington counties.
• Survivors can apply for FEMA assistance online anytime or by phone at 1-800-621-3362 between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. ET. Multilingual operators are available.
• Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS) has been opened as the Northeast Tennessee Disaster Relief Center in coordination with the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency.
• The Disaster Hotline, (423) 830-2696, has been established to serve as a unified regional hotline for community members, donors, and national/international organizations.
• The Crisis Clean-Up Hotline, (844) 965-1386, has been established for survivors who need assistance with clean-up efforts. This service is at no cost to the survivors who are requesting assistance.
• Water and wastewater infrastructure remain impacted across the affected area and multiple boil water advisories remain in effect.
• Requests for assistance are being fulfilled through the State Emergency Operations Center, including private sector aide.
• Emergency Services Coordinators (ESCs) from TDOT, TDCI, TDH, THP, TN Department of Human Services, TN Department of Military, and more are monitoring and responding to the situation to provide assistance to local jurisdictions.

CURRENT SITUATION

On Oct. 2, Gov. Bill Lee announced approval of his request for an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration for Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi, and Washington counties. Damage assessments remain in progress and will inform additional requests to be made to the federal government.

With this approval, survivors who live in the declared counties are now able to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance. Since approval, there have been 1,457 valid registrations. Individuals can apply for direct assistance through FEMA's IA program online anytime or by phone at 1-800-621-3362 between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. ET. Multilingual operators are available.

Those eligible for FEMA's IA program may receive help with rental assistance, home repair, and personal property replacement, in addition to other uninsured or underinsured disaster losses. More information on FEMA's IA program can be found here.

A Disaster Hotline (423) 830-2696 has been established to serve as a unified regional hotline for community members, donors, and national/international organizations seeking information or requiring specific logistical considerations about disaster relief efforts. The hotline is available between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

Bristol Motor Speedway has been opened as the Northeast Tennessee Disaster Relief Center. This center will serve as a home base for recovery efforts and a major distribution center in the aftermath of the devastating floods. They will be operating from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. This center does not replace the donation centers that have been established by counties. For more information, including a list of requested and prohibited items, visit TEMA's website.

TEMA continues to deploy personnel at the request of the counties and is coordinating with local officials to assess damages and ensure life safety needs are met. TEMA recommends residents continue to tune into information provided by their local officials to remain safe.

POWER OUTAGES AND UTILITIES

• As of Oct. 3, there are less than 1,000 reports of power outages statewide.
• Several wastewater treatment plants have been impacted or are reporting problems due to flooding impacts:
  • Cocke County, Newport Utilities Board
  • Hamblen County, Lowland Wastewater Treatment Plant
  • Hamblen County, Morristown Lowlands Wastewater Treatment Plant
  • Johnson County, Mountain City Wastewater Treatment Plant
  • Unicoi County, Erwin Utilities Authority
• As of Oct. 3, 24 drinking water facilities have reported operational issues. Of those, 19 facilities have issued boil water advisories. If you have lost water or have a loss of water pressure, check with your water system for more information and recommended actions.

TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) is issuing a temporary water contact advisory telling the public to avoid all contact with bodies of water affected by the extreme flooding in East Tennessee. This applies to all surface waters in the Nolichucky, French Broad, Pigeon, Doe, and Watauga River watersheds as well as any other waters affected by the flooding. Read TDEC's full release on their website.

TENNESSEE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation established a hotline (1-800-TBI-FIND/1-800-824-3463) to coordinate reports of missing persons in the areas affected by the recent flooding in Northeast Tennessee. Callers should be prepared to relay as much identifying information as possible, including names, phone numbers, vehicle identification, and last known whereabouts.

As of Thursday, Oct. 3, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has received more than 500 calls regarding missing individuals. Of those, approximately 27 are still active leads that TBI is coordinating with local law enforcement response. Please note, this number does not represent the total of unaccounted individuals, just public leads that still need to be cleared.

• Carter County: 4
• Cocke County: 1
• Greene County: 6
• Johnson County: 1
• Knox County: 3
• Sevier: 1
• Sullivan: 2
• Unicoi County: 6
• Washington County: 3

SHELTERING LOCATIONS

Local jurisdictions and the American Red Cross are managing shelters in impacted areas. For the most up to date shelter locations, visit TEMA's website.

TN DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAY PATROL

• THP is providing assistance with traffic, welfare, searches, and other law enforcement responsibilities in response to flooding and damage in the affected counties.
• THP is delivering commodities to survivors.
• THP flew TDOT engineers to possible landslide locations.
• THP is collaborating with TBI to assist with reunification.
• North Carolina has closed I-40 at the state line.
• I-26 at 40 mm is closed in Unicoi County due to flooding.

TN DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY

Driver Services Division is issuing duplicate identification licenses and driver licenses at the Unicoi Police Department, Elizabethon Driver Services Center, and Newport Grammar School for survivors. The following locations are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT through Oct. 4, 2024.

Temporary Driver Services Locations:

Elizabethton Driver Services Center
1741 HWY 19 E Bypass
Elizabethton, TN 37643

Newport Grammar School
301 College Street
Newport, TN 37821

Unicoi Police Department
3600 Unicoi Drive
Unicoi, TN 37692

TN DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

If your job was impacted by the flooding in East Tennessee, you can apply for state unemployment now while Tennessee awaits approval of Disaster Unemployment Assistance.

TN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

• The Tennessee Department of Health has confirmed eleven weather-related fatalities.
  • Two in Cocke County
  • One in Greene County
  • One in Knox County
  • One in Johnson County
  • Four in Unicoi County
  • Two in Washington County
• Several county health departments have been closed due to impacts.
• A Citizen Information Hotline is available at 423-979-4689, available from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. ET for questions related to flood safety.

TN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

• TDOT is continuing to work to improve connectivity and make infrastructure repairs in Upper East Tennessee.
• All 310 state bridges have been inspected and five of them have been destroyed.
• 47 routes have been assessed with 25 repaired and reopened.
• Before you go out, check road conditions on TDOT's SmartWay website.

PROTECTIVE ACTIONS/KEY MESSAGES

• To apply for FEMA Individual Assistance: online anytime or by phone at 1-800-621-3362 between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. ET.
• The Crisis Clean-Up Hotline (844) 965-1386 has been established for survivors who need assistance with clean-up efforts. This service is at no cost to the survivors who are requesting assistance.
• The Disaster Hotline, (423) 830-2696, has been established to serve as a unified regional hotline.
• The Tennessee Attorney General's Division of Consumer Affairs reminds Tennesseans to be cautious and wary of disaster relief scams.You can find helpful tips on their website.
• Do not enter damaged buildings or hazardous locations.
• Hire only licensed contractors and do not pay the total amount before the work is complete. More tips for consumers can be found here.
• Avoid downed power lines.
• If your house or property sustained damage, take pictures before cleanup efforts and contact your insurance company. TDCI's Complaint Line for insurance: (615) 741-2218 or 1-800-342-4029.
• Do not self-deploy to assist impacted areas. Wait for local officials to issue guidance.
• Do not attempt to cross flooded roads or walkways. Turn around, don't drown.
• Contact your local emergency management agency if you need immediate assistance.

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