Carolina Conference Handles Wreckage of Hurricane Helene

04 October 2024|

Last week, Hurricane Helene, which was only meant to affect the southern coast, began its tour of devastation, ravaging portions of Tennessee and obliterating entire regions of both Carolinas. Entire towns have been leveled and natural landmarks have been swept off the map, forever altering the topography of the states.

Rebecca Carpenter, Communications Director for the Carolina Conference of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church has provided information to Adventist Today on the situation. In total there are 22 SDA churches and seven schools including their boarding school, Mount Pisgah Academy, and the self-supporting Fletcher Academy and Captain Gilmer elementary, all within a 35-mile radius of Asheville which has been deeply effected by the event.  She said

“Both academies have reported no damage—only power outages—and have suspended school until it is restored. All boarding students have been sent home safely. Specific post-disaster statuses are unclear​ on the other locations, however we have received insurance inquiries from three churches so far, one of them severely devastated”

Reports of evacuation are few, however residents are among the 741,000 without water, food, power, and other necessities. Fortunately, no congregants of the Carolina Conference are among the current 215 fatalities. The region have suffered what has been described as biblical levels of destruction, fortunately the Adventist Community Services Disaster Response team have been offering aid to the larger community out of a temporary base in Fletcher Church. Carpenter confirms,

“Carolina ACS director David Graham is working with his team to provide trucks of supplies to the area. Jim Ingersoll, CERT leader with the Southern Union, is heading up the assembly and organization of volunteers to provide immediate assistance to those effected, including first aid and debris removal.”

At this point, the effects of the damage is still being assessed, with many taking shelter and volunteers from all over the country coming to offer assistance, paving the way on the road to recovery.