- “When we see someone who needs help, we extend a helping hand,” North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein said Saturday. “That's the North Carolina way.”
President Donald Trump has approved an Emergency Declaration for North Carolina ahead of a potentially catastrophic ice storm this weekend, with the aftereffects lasting well into next week.
“This declaration enables us to access federal assets so that we can deploy additional generators to critical facilities like hospitals, support sheltering operations, provide emergency food, water, and fuel, and get help from the Forest Service to remove downed trees,” Governor Josh Stein said in a Saturday morning briefing on storm preparations. “We are grateful for the partnership of the federal government, and it’s quicker approval of our request.”
The updates follow Friday’s and Thursday’s briefings.
Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program, will be provided at 75% federal funding.
The governor gave an update on preparations being done at the state level.
“We have shipped more than 100 pallets of meals and drinking water across the state in addition to more than 700 cots and blankets,” Stein said. “The State Highway Patrol is ready to clear roads and respond to emergencies. NCDOT is fully stocked with fuel and salt to respond to the weather around the clock. Twenty-one counties are opening warming stations, seven counties are opening shelters, and we expect more to happen over the course of the day.”
Emergency Management Director Will Ray said that major impacts from significant ice accumulations are forecast across the southern mountain regions and into portions of the Blue Ridge escarpment, where 3/4 to over 1 inch of ice accumulations are expected. Much of the Piedmont is forecast to receive greater than 1/4 inch of ice accumulations, and the greatest snow and sleet accumulations are expected across northern portions of the mountains and the northwest Piedmont, where 2 to 4 inches is forecasted.
He also said there are 51 local states of emergency, and 21 local emergency operations centers are activated or are in monitoring status. As of this morning, the State Emergency Response team has distributed approximately 120 pallets of MREs or ready-to-eat meals and water to assist communities with shelter or warming center operations. Additionally, approximately 1100 cots and blankets have been distributed to supplement local supplies as well as the commodities that have been shipped into local communities over the past several months.
The North Carolina National Guard and the entire North Carolina State Highway Patrol are active and on standby across the state today to assist local communities and state partners with clearing roadways, responding to emergencies, and addressing transportation needs. Ninety-five National Guard force packages (groups) are on standby and will assist with clearing roadways of downed trees, helping disabled motorists, supplementing first responders, and assisting with commodity distribution. There are approximately 454 soldiers, 182 vehicles, and three UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters ready to assist.
Stein stressed for people to stay home and not go out onto the roads unless it is absolutely necessary for their own safety, the safety of NCDOT crews, as well as State Highway Patrol, power company line crews, and other emergency workers.
NCdot: “rolling the dice with poor odds” if you travel this weekend
“If you choose to drive in the conditions that we anticipate will impact our roads, you are rolling the dice with poor odds,” North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Secretary Daniel Johnson said at the briefing. “The risk of crashing in these conditions is high, which can lead to serious injury or being stranded in a disabled vehicle in bitterly cold conditions.”
He said more than 2,000 NCDOT employees will be working around the clock over the next several days to address storm impacts.
The governor said they are concerned about the double whammy impact in western North Carolina, where there are already many downed trees on the ground from Hurricane Helene.
“Any future trees falling will create more headaches, create more fuel on the ground,” he said. “Once we get into wildfire season, we intend to work closely with our partners at the State Forest Service and the US Forest Service to make sure roadways are cleared, power lines are not impacted, and do everything we can to help people in western North Carolina get through this with the minimum impact possible.”
Stein also said they were worried about the storm’s impact on all types of infrastructure in western North Carolina and across the rest of the state, including roads, cell and phone systems, water, and wastewater systems. He added they are in communication with state, local, and private sector partners monitoring the situation.
more than 18,000 restoration workers from 27 states and Canada positioned across the carolinas
As of Friday night, Duke Energy had more than 18,000 restoration workers positioned across the Carolinas. These include Duke Energy and contracted lineworkers, vegetation specialists, and storm support staff from 27 states and Canada.
Duke Energy serves about 4.7 million electric customers in the Carolinas, with about 3.8 million in North Carolina and nearly 860,000 in South Carolina.
The governor noted in a press release on Saturday that one group of people in the state would be especially vulnerable in the event of power outages. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services emPOWER data, approximately 99,000 of North Carolina’s 2.2 million Medicare recipients are considered medically at risk and dependent on electricity for life-sustaining equipment, and would be especially devastating if power outages occur, leading to delays in emergency communications and emergency medical services.
Stein added that everyone should double check their plans for the storm and stay informed by following local media, the National Weather Service, and their local emergency management agency for the latest updates and recommendations. And, also check on family, friends, neighbors, and anyone who may be vulnerable.
“When we see someone who needs help, we extend a helping hand,” he said. “That’s the North Carolina way.”