Dustin Farris]]> September 27, 2024]]> Dustin Farris]]> September 27, 2024]]> Dustin Farris]]> September 27, 2024]]> Dustin Farris]]> September 28, 2024]]> Dustin Farris]]> September 27, 2024]]> Dustin Farris]]> September 27, 2024]]>
Interviewees were given the option to voluntarily donate recordings to Buncombe County Special Collections for preservation and public access.]]> Paige Ambord]]> Caitlin Meagher]]> August 28, 2025]]> Digital Audio Recording]]>
Interviewees were given the option to voluntarily donate recordings to Buncombe County Special Collections for preservation and public access.]]> Paige Ambord]]> Caitlin Meagher]]> June 26, 2025]]> Digital Audio Recording]]>
Interviewees were given the option to voluntarily donate recordings to Buncombe County Special Collections for preservation and public access.]]> Paige Ambord]]> Caitlin Meagher]]> June 19, 2025]]> Digital Audio Recording]]> WLOS-TV Asheville]]> WLOS-TV Asheville]]> September 27, 2024]]> Digital Video Recording]]> WLOS-TV Asheville]]> WLOS-TV Asheville]]> September 27, 2024]]> Digital Video Recording]]> WLOS-TV Asheville]]> WLOS-TV Asheville]]> September 27, 2024]]> Digital Video Recording]]> WLOS-TV Asheville]]> WLOS-TV Asheville]]> September 27, 2024]]> Digital Video Recording]]> WLOS-TV Asheville]]> WLOS-TV Asheville]]> September 27, 2024]]> Digital Video Recording]]> WLOS-TV Asheville]]> WLOS-TV Asheville]]> September 29, 2024]]> Digital Video Recording]]> WLOS-TV Asheville]]> WLOS-TV Asheville]]> September 27, 2024]]> Digital Video Recording]]> WLOS-TV Asheville]]> WLOS-TV Asheville]]> September 29, 2024]]> Digital Video Recording]]> WLOS-TV Asheville]]> WLOS-TV Asheville]]> September 8, 2004]]> Digital Video Recording]]> WLOS-TV Asheville]]> WLOS-TV Asheville]]> September 12, 2004]]> Digital Video Recording]]> Oral histories]]>
A self-described “prepper” who was initially unconcerned about the storm [00:04:38], Salgado describes his involvement in several aspects of the county's emergency response once the storm's severity became clear [00:07:59], which included projects to contact and initiate wellness checks on senior residents [00:09:22] and to manage a donation warehouse distributing supplies through partner organizations [00:12:36]. Salgado reflects on challenges such as public distrust in government [00:18:48], the emotional toll on responders [0:21:40], and frustration with the lack of concrete preparedness actions undertaken at a government level over 18 months [00:27:08]. ]]> Friends of Buncombe County Special Collections]]> March 2, 2026]]> Digital Audio Recording]]> Madison County Public Library]]> June 2, 2026]]> Digital Audio Recording]]> American Enka Corporation]]> October 1940]]> Paper]]>
Copied from Buncombe County Special Collections vertical file, "Floods."]]> F. A. Sondley]]> 1928]]> Paper]]> catastrophic flood and seeks to continue services to address the ongoing disaster of inaccessible
healthcare. While many healthcare providers understand the limitations of their institutions, the energy and common ground of west Asheville’s emergency response to Hurricane Helene next to the failure of regionwide healthcare response catalyzed efforts to sustain the collective. With a background on healthcare in the United States, examples of community-based healthcare models in the U.S., and reflections with core members, volunteer providers, and partner organizations, the Mutual Aid Wellness Collective illustrates a healthcare strategy that improves access, especially during disasters. By considering how healthcare providers mobilized during a crisis, adapted service delivery to meet local needs, and the struggle to sustain momentum, mutual aid presents a framework for equitable healthcare access for the dual disasters of climatic events and growing poverty in the United States.

A Master’s Paper submitted to the faculty of the University of North Carolina Asheville-University of North Carolina Gillings Master of Public Health Program in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Public Health in the Place Based Health Concentration.]]> Andrew Rainey]]> University of North Carolina Asheville]]> University of North Carolina Gillings]]> July 18, 2025]]> Digital Document]]> The Western North Carolina Health Policy Initiative (HPI) has launched a new podcast series that takes a deep dive into a new WNC HPI research project exploring what we can learn about our region’s healthcare response in the days and weeks following Hurricane Helene’s devastating landfall across Western North Carolina on the evening of Sept 27, 2024.

In each installment, we speak about different public health strategies for improving health and well-being in Western North Carolina (WNC). The WNC HPl is a collaboration between the NC Center for Health & Wellness at UNCA and MAHEC, with generous support from the Dogwood Health Trust.

Individual opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this podcast are those of the author(s)/interviewee(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the WNC Health Policy Initiative or its host institutions of the University of North Carolina Asheville (UNCA), Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) or our funders.

Listen online:

Listen to the WNC Health Policy Podcast here.

]]> WNC Health Policy Initiative Media Team]]> WNC Health Policy Initiative (HPI)]]> 2025]]> Image Credit: NCDOTcommunications, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.]]> Digital Audio Recording]]> Dave Hyde]]> May 31, 2026]]> CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. The creator of this image has licensed the work under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Deed.]]> Digital Photograph]]>
This interview was conducted on May 2, 2025 by Keyana Thomas for the Asheville Museum of Science as part of the project "Every Day, Everywhere, Everyone: Reflections on Community and Climate Resilience in WNC," and donated to Buncombe County Special Collections.]]> Asheville Museum of Science]]> May 2, 2025]]>
This interview was conducted on April 23, 2025 by Keyana Thomas for the Asheville Museum of Science as part of the project "Every Day, Everywhere, Everyone: Reflections on Community and Climate Resilience in WNC," and donated to Buncombe County Special Collections.]]> Asheville Museum of Science]]> April 23, 2025]]>
This interview was conducted on April 22, 2025 by Keyana Thomas for the Asheville Museum of Science as part of the project "Every Day, Everywhere, Everyone: Reflections on Community and Climate Resilience in WNC," and donated to Buncombe County Special Collections.]]> Asheville Museum of Science]]> April 22, 2025]]>
This interview was conducted on April 14, 2025 by Keyana Thomas for the Asheville Museum of Science as part of the project "Every Day, Everywhere, Everyone: Reflections on Community and Climate Resilience in WNC," and donated to Buncombe County Special Collections.]]> Asheville Museum of Science]]> April 14, 2025]]>
This interview was conducted on March 27, 2025 by Keyana Thomas for the Asheville Museum of Science as part of the project "Every Day, Everywhere, Everyone: Reflections on Community and Climate Resilience in WNC," and donated to Buncombe County Special Collections.]]> Asheville Museum of Science]]> March 27, 2025]]> Digital Audio Recording]]> Oral histories]]>
Kane discusses how Helene impacted her home and rental properties in the area of Botany Woods, Riverbend neighborhoods in East Asheville [00:03:05], describing prior flooding events [00:07:34], preparations before the flooding [00:09:19], the loss of two of her properties and multiple neighbors [00:10:45]. She shares her frustrations working with government agencies to receive compensation for her losses [00:14:48] and how she has dealt with the emotional toll of the loss of her home [00:18:52].]]> Friends of Buncombe County Special Collections]]> May 18, 2025]]> Digital Audio Recording]]> Oral histories]]>
Schlicher describes his experience witnessing rapid flooding from his home near Bleachery Boulevard and the Swannanoa River [00:07:03], the loss of his cat due to a veterinary emergency [00:21:19], and the overwhelming turnout of volunteers who assisted with relief efforts in the immediate aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene [00:27:52].

Narrator portrait by Gretchen LeMaistre.

]]> Friends of Buncombe County Special Collections]]> April 21, 2025]]> Digital Audio Recording]]> Oral histories]]>
Interviewer Fiora shares her Helene experience [00:05:01] and Stephanie describes the trip she took to her parents and their communication after the storm [00:24:17]. Essie shares a story about the dangerous driving conditions [00:40:50]. Throughout the drive, Stephanie describes how roads, buildings, and creeks looked in the immediate aftermath of Helene.

In a second recording, on the return car ride, the group reflects on their first time seeing the damage in Pensacola post-Helene [00:05:58] and stories they heard from local relief workers [00:09:03]

This interview was conducted by Fiora Mecale as part of the oral history project Finding Hope: Southern Resilience in the Aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Narrator photo taken by Fiora Mecale, January 3, 2025.]]> Fiora Mecale]]> January 3, 2025]]> Digital Audio Recording]]> Oral histories]]>
Siegel describes deciding to evacuate Asheville for Richmond, VA in advance of Helene [00:03:22], working remotely to coordinate monetary donations and supplies via social media group The 828 Is Great [00:06:27], then returning to Asheville and setting up a mutual aid station in her friend’s Burton Street neighborhood [00:09:39]. Claire further explains how forming a WhatsApp group facilitated community organization and resource-sharing [00:12:18]. She discusses receiving FEMA aid and Disaster SNAP benefits, noting her privilege in accessing resources due to language, tech literacy, and having an intact home [00:28:12], and reflects on the disaster’s impact on community relationships [00:31:12].

]]> Friends of Buncombe County Special Collections]]> June 3, 2025]]> Digital Video Recording]]>
Senders were prompted to share stories of "courage, kindness, or community" that they experienced in the year following the storm. ]]> NC Local]]> September 25, 2025]]> Paper]]> Oral histories]]>
Nikki recounts the days surrounding Tropical Storm Helene and leaving town due to safety concerns [00:03:51]. She elaborates on her neighborhood coming together [00:07:53], and the emotional impact of the storm, including feelings of survivor’s guilt during the recovery period [00:10:10]. She expresses cynicism in her expectations for Asheville’s future in the years to come [00:21:05] but also positive aspects of community cooperation and reconnection [00:27:50].

This interview was conducted by Fiora Mecale as part of the oral history project Finding Hope: Southern Resilience in the Aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Narrator photo courtesy Nichole Gibson.]]> Fiora Mecale]]> November 7, 2024]]> Digital Audio Recording]]>
Hamon describes Tropical Storm Helene’s impact on her home and community. She explains how she and her husband Bruce Johnson, having experienced past floods, prepared their home, horses, and property bordering Cane Creek [00:05:02]; their experience of the flooding [00:11:01]; the destruction and debris the flood left behind [00:25:53]; their pasture recovery and rebuilding process [00:40:45]; how they supported their community’s recovery through fundraising [00:57:48]; and what they might do differently in the future [01:15:12].

Narrator photo depicts Leigh Ann with a horse on the day of the hurricane. Provided courtesy of Leigh Ann Hamon.]]> Friends of Buncombe County Special Collections]]> June 7, 2025]]> Digital Audio Recording]]> Oral histories]]> Long-time Asheville resident Roy Harris was interviewed by Buncombe County Special Collections Librarian Carissa Pfeiffer on August 11, 2025. This interview took place at Blue Ridge Public Radio and was conducted as part of the Come Hell or High Water Oral History Project for Buncombe County Special Collections, Pack Memorial Library.

Harris describes his experiences during and after Helene, driven by a central theme of how the disaster strengthened community bonds. He relates his initial reaction, which was informed by having grown up in a part of North Carolina that experiences hurricanes more frequently [00:07:29]; resource-sharing among neighbors [00:11:00]; and personal anecdotes, such as his daughters and their former high school friends seeing him on CNN, and then organizing a drop-off of supplies [00:18:09]. He also reflects on the challenges faced by the elderly and other vulnerable populations [00:22:13 and 00:33:14] and practical lessons learned [00:40:24]. A recurring theme throughout the interview is the need to learn from all people’s stories and to know and engage with neighbors as a means of building resilience [00:49:17].

Photo (circa 2018) provided courtesy of Roy Harris. Previously published in the article "Roy Harris finds the universal in personal tales," Mountain Xpress, December 11, 2018.]]> Friends of Buncombe County Special Collections]]> August 11, 2025]]> Digital Audio Recording]]> Jerry Pope]]> September 2, 2025]]>