The Statewide Disaster Assistance Network is a program that was created by, and is operated by, the North Carolina Sheriffs Association to allow sheriffs’ offices across the state to request and offer aid to other sheriffs in case of a disaster – like when a hurricane virtually destroys parts of the state.
In coordination with North Carolina Emergency Management, the Sheriffs Association manages resources that are requested and offered by the 100 sheriffs’ offices across the state.
Through the Assistance Network, the Association is coordinating a recovery response to the western North Carolina counties that were hit hard by Hurricane Helene late last month.
The network was called into action by NC Sheriffs’ Association President Sheriff Mike Roberson of Chatham County on Thursday, Sept. 26 after the monster storm left a path of destruction in its wake in about 30 western North Carolina counties. The catastrophic impact of the storm was caused by both massive rainfall and high winds that led to widespread flash flooding, mudslides, and death.
Sheriff Roberson explained this week that there was no question when it came to activating the network in response to the hurricane.
“We knew immediately that this storm would have a massive impact in our state,” he said. “The effects have been like nothing we have seen in the recent past. Activating the Statewide Disaster Assistance Network allowed the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association to begin working right away to coordinate resources and let sheriffs’ offices from around the state get assistance to those counties impacted as soon as possible.”
While structures in Florida are built to be highly hurricane-resistant, that’s not the case for most of the structures built in the western part of the state. That meant that the hurricane was more disastrous striking inland than hitting coastal areas, and that damage and destruction of roads and infrastructure has made providing help in the affected areas more difficult
Emergency services in the affected areas, according to the Sheriffs Association have been overwhelmed with a massive number of calls for service and requests for help. As of October 15, thanks to the network’s response 78 sheriffs’ offices from across the state have sent much-needed personnel and equipment to the area.
So far, that includes 578 deputies, 18 detention officers and 18 telecommunicators.
The network has also overseen the relocation of about 350 county jail inmates to other county jails.
The Guilford County Sheriff’s Office has been doing its part to help out as well. Deputies have been loading up donated supplies into trucks and taking those items to the hardest hit areas in the western part of the state.
Sheriffs’ offices across North Carolina have delivered a wide variety of rescue equipment to the area – including aerial and underwater drones, helicopters, tactical Bearcat vehicles, utility terrain vehicles, generators, high-water vehicles
and many other needed items.
According to an October 16 statement from the NC Sheriff’s Association, “Personnel at the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association headquarters in Raleigh have been working around the clock each day since the Statewide was activated to make sure that deputies, detention officers and telecommunicators have been dispatched immediately to sheriffs’ offices in the mountain counties in need.”
The program will continue to operate as long as assistance is needed.
Sheriffs from the affected counties have expressed their thanks for the assistance from their fellow law enforcement leaders.
Sheriff Ricky Buchanan of McDowell County said, “With the help of sheriffs and deputy sheriffs from across the state, we have been able to maintain an increased law enforcement presence in our county, 24/7 since this disaster occurred. This has allowed us to focus our attention on those hit hardest by this disaster.”
Hurricane Helene has become the second-deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland of the United States since Hurricane Katrina struck nearly two decades ago.
Helene has a confirmed death toll of at least 231 people across six states and that number is increasing as more “missing” people are found dead.
Over 100 of those deaths were in North Carolina and that includes two sheriff’s deputies: one from the Macon County Sheriff’s Office and another from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.
Nice that Sheriff Ricky Buchanan would mention the help from Sheriffs and Deputy Sheriffs, but I think he forgot all the Police Officers from all over the State that responded to assist. How about all the Fire Departments from all over the State, the water rescue teams, EMS folks. What about all the civilian’s who have left their homes, filled their trucks and trailers to help? Come on Sheriff, give credit to those who have been there in the trenches, not just Sheriff Depts.
What? Do they want a sticker? A participation trophy? Having retired from local law enforcement myself, I still question why they feel like an increased police presence is needed. If it’s for SAR and to deliver meals & take people to a clean, dry place to sleep great, but they don’t need extra people blocking the roads with fancy equipment or standing guard over the clowns at FEMA. The citizens have done more for this relief effort than any government agency will ever dream about. Ponder this… Why wouldn’t they volunteer to help? They should do so, not as sheriffs, but as decent human beings. Why do they feel the need to broadcast that information to the masses? It sure does make for a lot of free press coverage, photos & video that can & will be brought back out come campaign time. If they’d take the time the spend on PR, photos & social media posts to make sure we all know they’re there, the people of NC would appreciate the extra help.