Good Morning, Friends,

If you haven’t read my previous posts, here’s the situation in a nutshell: we live in a rural mountain community in Swannanoa, NC, where the bridge connecting us to the outside world was swept away during the 1,000-year flood event caused by Tropical Storm Helene. We’ve also confirmed that a tornado swept through our valley, which explains the large number of trees down on houses and roads.

It’s Been One Week

Honestly, time has no meaning these days as everything blends together. At our community meeting yesterday, someone asked what day it was, and we all looked at each other for a few seconds before someone finally chimed in, “I think it’s Friday.”

That said, it’s been one week (and one day) since the remnants of Helene hit our region of western North Carolina. Looking at the progress we’ve made together—along with generous outside help—it’s hard to believe we’ve accomplished so much in such a short period of time.

Egress

Yesterday morning, it was confirmed: a construction crew came up our road with special equipment (like track hoes and a dump truck that can dump over the cab) and patched it up. They’ve made temporary repairs, allowing vehicles with reasonable ground clearance to pass.

We are over the moon about this.

The day before, the Sheriff’s department had knocked on all our doors advising us to evacuate, warning that our road would soon be gone. Being the proactive community we are, we scouted out an old Forest Service road to see if it could serve as an alternate egress. Unfortunately, that road was a no-go—it had been hit hard by the winds and would have been a monumental task to clear.

So discovering yesterday morning that the road had been repaired enough for us to drive out was a huge morale boost. It’s nice to know that getting off and on the mountain no longer requires a two-mile hike with a 1,000’ elevation change!

That said, the repair work is temporary. FEMA has labeled it “unpassable” because it doesn’t meet any DOT standards and is not for the faint of heart. One neighbor managed to convince a propane truck to fill his tank yesterday, but the white-knuckled driver said the company wouldn’t send any more trucks up our road until it’s permanently repaired by the DOT.

In our family, we’re aware that portions of the road could disappear again due to weather and/or heavy use.

Still, we’re so relieved to have egress again.

Amateur Radio: A Superpower in a Disaster

Using amateur radio, we had arranged for a helicopter drop of supplies to the upper part of our road. The team behind this effort was absolutely amazing. They’re mostly ex-military volunteers who use their skills to get aid into areas quickly.

This was all arranged with one call on the Mount Mitchell repeater on Wednesday evening. Dennis (N4DIN), stationed at the Swannanoa Fire Department (our local command center), put in the call, and Ed (N4EDX) arranged for Mike and Jay from the team to hike up our road and survey a potential landing site.

Arrangements were made for a Friday helicopter delivery.

However, since our road was patched up late Thursday, we felt the helicopter delivery of aid would be better used elsewhere, as so many other communities are just as bad off—or worse—than we are.

I mention this because, during our Wednesday evening neighborhood meeting, we agreed a helicopter drop would be ideal, as most aid was being delivered at the bottom of our road, and we had no idea when or how it was coming.

Someone asked, “How do we even request something like this?” I told them I’d ask net control on the N2GE repeater. By the time I got back to the house, everything had been arranged—within 30 seconds of my request on the N2GE (Mount Mitchell) emergency net.

Since our amateur radio emergency communications team is directly connected to our local emergency services command center, you can make requests for aid directly to the source. There’s no email, text message, or phone call to get lost in the shuffle—it just happens, without hesitation.

As it should.

FEMA

This week, two FEMA teams also visited us. They documented the damage at each property, accounted for everyone living here, and even brought a K9 team in case searches were needed.

I spoke with four different FEMA personnel, and they all commented on how self-reliant our neighborhood was compared with so many others they had surveyed—especially those in more urban areas. I’ll admit we’re lucky to have neighbors with so many practical skills. As I’ve mentioned before, preparedness is a way of life in a mountain community like ours.

One small example: I don’t know a single person on our road who doesn’t own at least one chainsaw and know how to fuel it, sharpen it, and service it. It’s a necessity. A tree can fall any day of the week and block a road or driveway. Chainsaw skills are essential and that’s why we so easily worked together to completely clear our road in short order.

5th Battalion 113 Field Artillery

Speaking of sawing, yesterday a crew from the Army National Guard showed up with three RSVs (Re-Supply Vehicles) and a Humvee, asking how they could help.

They used the artillery crane on the back of one of the RSVs to remove a massive, splintered tree from a neighbor’s driveway.

They also helped clear the road, and when I got home, I found a team clearing the mass of trees blocking our carport and one of our cars.

They were incredible, and we are so grateful. What they accomplished in a few hours would have taken me days.

1,000-Year Flood Event

According to Jordan McLeod on Facebook:

“In the map below, locations covered by dark blue shading observed 3-day rainfall totals associated with Helene that exceeded an annual recurrence interval of 1,000 years. In other words, there is less than a 0.1% chance of these rainfall totals occurring in any given year. Pretty much a worst-case scenario in many areas of western North Carolina.”

While we were prepared for flooding in low-lying areas, we never expected what actually unfolded.

Donations

Many have asked where they can donate to help with relief in the areas affected by Helene. Here are a few NGOs that I’ve personally seen at work here in Swannanoa. There are many more incredible organizations, private groups, and individuals making up the relief efforts, but I feel confident your donations will be put to good use by these organizations:

• World Central Kitchen
• Samaritan’s Purse International
• Crisis Response International
• American Red Cross

There are many more local non-profits helping as well.

Continued Updates

I will continue to update and try to answer some of your questions. As of this morning, I have about 250 emails in the inbox. I’m reading them all, but my time is so limited that I simply can’t reply to each one.

Know that I appreciate every message and offer of assistance.

I had planned to cover a few more topics this morning, but I’ll save them for Monday. I’ve got some tasks to get started on this morning.

Again, we’re all safe and doing well. We have plenty of food, and thanks to our solar system (installed earlier this year), we even have power to keep the internet, fridge, and freezer running. We’re grateful for this, as our satellite internet has become a community resource—two neighbors are using our Wi-Fi as I type this.

Warmest regards & 72,
Thomas (K4SWL)

Good Morning, Friends,

Today, I’m taking most of the day to focus on organizing, administrative tasks (FEMA applications, insurance, etc.), and some much-needed cleanup around the house. After several days of intense labor, we all need some time to recuperate.

Basically, we all smell like sweat and chainsaw exhaust.

If you haven’t read my previous posts, here’s the situation in a nutshell: We live in a rural mountain community in Swannanoa, NC, where the bridge connecting us to the outside world was swept away during the 500-year flood caused by Tropical Storm Helene. We also believe a tornado may have passed through our valley, which is why there are so many trees down on our houses and roads.

Since my last update, much has happened.

Helicopter Evacuation

I previously mentioned concerns for two elderly neighbors, one of whom was days away from entering skilled nursing care before the storm hit. The good news is they were safely evacuated by helicopter, thanks to the amazing team at SC-HART. They are now with family members and in a more stable situation.

Trees Cleared

By Tuesday evening, our neighborhood team managed to clear enough trees that everyone on the road now has at least a path wide enough for a car on their driveways and along the road.

We worked on the upper portion of the road, while neighbors on the lower portion cleared their section. Together, we cleared the entire road for vehicular access.

What really accelerated our efforts was the help of volunteers from outside the area. Family and friends of one neighbor came from Bryson City, full of energy and experience. Additionally, a group of arborists, who were going road-to-road offering help, assisted us for a day.

The bulk of the fallen trees were old-growth hardwoods like hickory, oak, and locust. None of these are easy to chainsaw. One of the 20-odd trees that fell on our driveway was 150 years old (we counted the rings). Our large, old hardwoods were unfairly targeted by the extreme winds because they still had a full canopy that acted like sails.

Had you seen the level of destruction on the road, you might have thought the cleanup would take a month, even with professional help. But everyone in good health on the road put in all their effort, and, together, we got it done.

Temporary Bridge

Thanks to a volunteer construction crew (friends of neighbors–the details are still unclear), a crew came in and shored up a temporary bridge, allowing larger vehicles to cross Bee Tree Creek.

This was a HUGE achievement, making it possible for volunteer crews to bring supplies to us. However, the bridge is covered in compacted dirt, and another strong rain event could wash it out.

Crumbling Road

For those of us living on the upper side of the road (about 1,000 feet higher in elevation than the lower section), we have another serious concern: one 30-40 meter section of the road is crumbling fast.

Both sides of the road are compromised, and there’s a 30 or more foot drop-off on one side. Driving across it is incredibly sketchy, but we’ve had to allow some vehicles to pass through to bring supplies up or evacuate.

After daily neighborhood meetings, we’ve decided that only ATVs or side-by-sides should cross the compromised part of the road. In just one day, we’ve seen how much damage larger vehicles can do.

The frustrating part? Some people have come up the road as disaster voyeurs—driving in cars and trucks to take photos and sightsee–which damages the road further. We’ve placed a sign at the bottom of the road asking to limit traffic to residents and emergency supplies. We’ll see if that works.

Egress and Ingress

The crumbling road is our top concern on the upper part of Long Branch Road.

Two construction engineers surveyed the damage yesterday and began planning repairs. Word has it that a crew could start within a few days, but resources in WNC are stretched thin, and we understand that other larger communities may be in need.

Instead of waiting for the road to collapse, a four-person neighborhood team is exploring an old forest service road as an alternate route. While we wouldn’t be able to drive large vehicles on it, ATVs or hiking could be possible.

Helicopter Drops

We’ve been receiving supplies (food, cleaning products, gas, fuel, etc.) from numerous volunteer groups, churches, friends, and individuals. It’s simply amazing.

We are also receiving larger supply drops via helicopter (presumably from FEMA).

Being on the receiving end of disaster relief, especially from individuals and groups who give their time, hard labor, and even buy supplies on their own dime, is humbling. While the news often highlights the worst in humanity, from where we stand, we’re seeing only the best.

Why Not Evacuate?

One reader asked why we didn’t evacuate before the storm or why we don’t leave now.

It’s an easy question to ask from the outside, but this is a scenario you wouldn’t wish on anyone. We were warned and prepared for flash flooding and high winds before Helene’s remnants arrived–we’ve been through hurricane and tropical storm remnants before–but no one expected a 1,000-year flood event.

This storm far exceeded what anyone could have predicted. We planned for downed trees, power loss, and potential road damage—not the catastrophic destruction that came.

Evacuating now is also problematic. Many of us have safe/clean well water and electricity (via sporadic generators and, in our case, solar power). City water in Buncombe County is out and could be for a few more weeks, and most still don’t have power. While power restoration should expand to more of the urban areas soon, the damage to infrastructure is extensive and will take time to repair.

We are safe, and we’re staying put. We can do this because our neighbors are amazing: we work well together, we’re self-sufficient, resourceful, and we’re resilient. Frankly, preparedness is built into everyday life here on a good day. All our family members are in good health, and if necessary, we have several egress routes on foot where friends could pick us up. But we hope it doesn’t come to that.

Ham Radio’s Role

We are still using a simplex frequency (147.55 MHz) for communications in the neighborhood and another (146.52 MHz) for the Swannanoa area on the VHF calling frequency.

My daughters (K4TLI and K4GRL), along with my wife (K4MOI), are running net control and monitoring the radios throughout the day when we’re not all needed for other tasks. We take shifts. I’m simply amazed at how quickly my daughters have jumped into this role and learned the ropes!

We’ve also been using the Mount Mitchell repeater to pass traffic, get updates, and coordinate with the local fire department for helicopter drops.

Volunteers and Support

Quick note: We are currently receiving ample supplies for our needs. The generosity we’ve experienced has been amazing, though we do worry about the long-term situation.

Thank You

Most of all, thank you for the support and kind messages. As I mentioned before, I’ve been so busy with work in the neighborhood that I haven’t had time to catch up on messages. Thank you for understanding—I’m reading every message and comment, but I don’t have the time to reply at present.

I’d also like to give a big shoutout to Vince (VE6LK), who has stepped in to manage QRPer and much of my communications. Vince is a dear friend, and I can’t thank him enough. Like, seriously Vince, thank you!

Even though I’ve been on VHF more than ever, I still miss the field reports and articles from QRPer. They’re a great source of joy for me.

I’ll plan to post another update soon, and I’m pointing all inquiries to these posts as a central place to share updates.

All the best, and thank you for being part of this wonderful community!

Best & 72,
Thomas (K4SWL)

Hello, Friends,

On Saturday morning, I shared an update regarding the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene on our community here in western North Carolina.

I’ve received an overwhelming outpouring of kindness, support, and well-wishes… in the best possible way.

Thank you.

In the two days since that update, I’ve had more time to survey the damage in our community and the Swannanoa/Black Mountain area.

I thought I’d share an update…

No Vehicle Egress

After posting my Saturday update, I fueled up my chainsaw and, with my daughters’ help clearing debris, got to work on the first batch of trees blocking our driveway.

When you’re cut off from society, wielding a chainsaw, and working with fallen trees under pressure, safety is paramount. Thoughts like, “Safety first, always have a clear escape, and be patient and methodical” run through your mind constantly. There would be no professional medical attention if I made a mistake.

After lunch, we decided to explore further down our road and connected with neighbors.

It was then that we discovered the extent of the damage along our two-mile-long mountain road. Every 10-20 meters, trees blocked the road. I soon realized that clearing my driveway was futile. So, our neighborhood made a plan and started gathering resources to tackle the downed trees together.

We also learned that the bridge connecting our community to Swannanoa had been completely washed away. Even if we cleared all the trees, there was no way to get vehicles across the water.

A Neighbor in Need

That afternoon, we learned that one of our elderly neighbors urgently needed antibiotics for a tooth infection—she had a root canal appointment scheduled for this week, but there are no detist office open. Another neighbor, Chris, and I made a plan to bike into town to find the medication Sunday.

Reconnaissance

Beyond helping our neighbor, many of us were eager to assess the damage between us and town—a roughly seven-mile stretch of road.

Keep in mind: we were so completely cut off that almost no one knew what things looked like in Swannanoa.

One friend and neighbor, who owns an auto repair service in town, had no idea if his business was still standing.

We wanted to get reliable information to share with our neighbors so rumors wouldn’t fuel anxiety (and yes, rumors had already started because, as we all know, that’s what happens when people are worried and there’s a lack of information).

Sunday Morning

Overnight, I charged several of my HTs (handheld VHF/UHF radios) and distributed them to neighbors (thankfully, I’ve collected quite a few of these over the years especially since everyone in our family has a license). I set up a simplex frequency and schedule so we could communicate. I also wrote down instructions in case someone accidentally bumped a button and needed to re-tune to the correct frequency.

No, most of these people don’t have licenses, but this is 100% a real emergency. Hams in the region have even been giving volunteers their radios to share wellness checks via our repeater systems and the emergency response network.

Neighbors were excited to finally have a way to communicate and coordinate. Even though we all live on the same road, downed trees and other debris mean it can take 10-15 minutes to get from one house to another. The radios cut through all of that, giving us an instant way to share critical information.

As I said in my previous post, having a radio is like having a superpower.

First thing Sunday morning, I turned on my radio and monitored the Mount Mitchell repeater. After checking traffic, I prepared my circa 1990 Fuji Suncrest mountain bike. She’s a hearty girl!

Chris and I met, got our neighbor’s prescription, and headed down the two-mile stretch. The journey was tedious, with fallen trees and downed power lines along the way.

I also packed a notepad and pencil to gather wellness checks and messages for loved ones. I ended up taking about a dozen messages—both to relay between neighbors and for the emergency net.

I won’t lie: crossing the creek/river, carrying our bikes, on a make-shift foot bridge neighbors pieced together, was dodgy at best. I decided then and there that I would not take the bike across on the way back. We’d hike the two miles up the road.

Town in Ruins

When we arrived in Swannanoa, it was heartbreaking. Flood-affected areas were utterly devastated. Entire neighborhoods were wiped out. I teared up seeing buildings pushed from one side of the road to the other. The loss of life from this event will likely be far greater than anyone imagined.

Chris discovered that his truck, parked in what he thought was a safe grocery store parking lot had floodwaters up to the seat—total loss. Of course it wouldn’t start and it might be a total loss.

The pharmacy in Swannanoa was closed, so we biked on US 70 to Black Mountain to check another Chris heard was open. Unfortunately, it was not.

Fortunately, however, a kind business owner, who was removing medications from his flooded store, gave us the antibiotics we needed. He wouldn’t accept payment. Amazing!

We also picked up free dog food being given away at Hazel’s vet office. I packed two bags—the maximum my 33L pack could hold—for neighbors who needed it. Hazel is set for at least a week, maybe more.

The ride back was more challenging since I was now carrying extra weight. My tires really needed a tad more air with the weight, but one of my Presta valves is a little questionable and I I didn’t want to risk it breaking.

We stashed our bikes at a neighbor’s house—a couple we’d never met before—who gave us keys to retrieve them anytime we needed them later. Again, we didn’t want to risk crossing the bridge again with the bikes—once was sketchy enough.

The hike back up the mountain (a 1,000-foot elevation gain) was tough, but we managed to catch two short rides, which helped. We also met neighbors hauling gasoline up with a hand truck and caught up with them.

I got home around 5:00 PM, exhausted after a 20 mile round trip into town on a bike that, at that point, was caked with river silt/mud. While the biking wasn’t too bad (thanks to all my cycling—mostly stationary these days), the heavy lifting, dog food in my pack and non-stop work over the previous few days were catching up with me.

That night, I collapsed into bed and slept soundly.

Continuing Updates

I’ll try to continue these updates regularly.

To be honest, I’m so tired and busy that it’s hard to find time, but I want to share this experience with you. You’re my radio family, and I want you to know how we’re doing.

Thank You

I’ve received so much support and kindness from all of you—it’s truly amazing. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!

I won’t be able to respond to messages and comments right now–my hands are just too full–but please know I read and appreciate each and every one. Thanks for understanding.

I’ll leave you with this: I’m so incredibly proud of our amateur radio community. Everyone snapped into emergency communication mode, and now it’s all second nature. It’s truly inspiring—this network of people ready and eager to help.

I hope to post again soon.

Thank you, and 72!

Thomas (K4SWL)