FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is currently in North Carolina to survey damage with Governor Roy Cooper. She will stay in the state until the situation stabilizes, as directed by President Biden.

There are 10 federal search and rescue teams on the ground, with another nine teams en route, totaling over 900 personnel supporting rescue efforts. Health and Medical Task Forces and Disaster Medical Assistance Teams from the National Disaster Medical System are assessing needs for rapid support deployment. One team has begun emergency department decompression at Mission Hospital in Asheville and is treating patients, while another team moves to Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pine.

Rescue crews are working to restore communications in affected areas, aided by utility crews restoring cell service and critical infrastructure. FEMA has provided 40 Starlink satellite systems for responder communications, with more being shipped. One Starlink system will be deployed per county Emergency Operations Center.

Families seeking contact with loved ones should call 2-1-1 or visit UnitedWayNC.org to fill out a request form for search and rescue efforts. Local officials urge people not to travel to western North Carolina to keep roadways clear.

FEMA has two Incident Management Assessment Teams coordinating directly with the state for assistance requests. To ensure urgent aid like meals and water reaches communities, FEMA has sent 25 trailer-loads of meals and 60 trailer-loads of water. A C-17 cargo plane full of food, water, and other commodities arrived at the forward operating base in Asheville with a daily flow established via air bridge. Additionally, 18 helicopters are on standby for commodity delivery.

Currently, there are 29 shelters open housing over 1,000 occupants. FEMA Disaster Survivor Teams will assist survivors in applying for assistance at these shelters.

A generator support package is moving from Charlotte-Mecklenburg to Asheville, with another 30 generators en route to Mecklenburg's staging base.