Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
In Storm-Ravaged North Carolina, Necessities Of Life Difficult To Come By
North Carolina Health News: In The Wake Of Deadly Helene, Western NC Thirsts For Water
The powerful remnants of Hurricane Helene that deluged western North Carolina with fierce winds and raging stormwaters left a wide swath of the state in desperate need of potable water. As of early Sunday afternoon, 145 water systems were either without power, suffering infrastructure damage or under boil-water alerts, depriving individuals, businesses and health care systems of a fundamental resource. (Blythe and Atwater, 9/30)
CNN: Hurricane Helene: Now Comes The Hard Work Of Recovering
Amid cleanup efforts, a Buncombe County resident told CNN she has no power, running water or cell phone reception. Clutching firewood in her hands, Meredith Keisler, a school nurse, said: “We’re collecting wood because we have a grill to make fire, to cook food,” she said. About 20 miles east of Asheville, Krista Cortright said her boyfriend’s grandmother had no way of getting out of Black Mountain due to flooding. Cortright told CNN the couple had to get to her since she had limited supplies and she is diabetic. It typically takes the couple 25 minutes to travel from Marion to the grandmother’s house. On Sunday, due to road closures, it took them 2.5 hours. (Almasy, 9/30)
NC Newsline: How To Help North Carolina In The Aftermath Of Tropical Storm Helene
As western North Carolina continues the long road to recovery from Helene, here’s an initial list of organizations where individuals can make donations. (Henkel, 9/30)
From Tennessee and Florida —
ABC News: 54 People Rescued From Roof Of Tennessee Hospital Due To Floodwaters From Hurricane Helene
At least 54 people were trapped on the roof of a hospital in Tennessee on Friday after floodwaters due to Hurricane Helene quickly surrounded the medical center. Everyone was rescued safely, Sen. Bill Hagerty said in a statement. Unicoi County Hospital -- located in the northeastern part of the state on the border with North Carolina -- took on so much flooding that those inside could no longer be safely evacuated and had to relocate to the roof. (Kekatos, 9/27)
The Washington Post: How An ‘AquaFence’ Temporary Wall Protected Tampa’s Hospital From Helene
As surging water from Hurricane Helene inundated the Tampa Bay area Thursday, Tampa General Hospital stayed dry, thanks to a temporary floodwall that protected the hospital. In a video posted by the hospital, which sits on an island in Hillsborough Bay, a fence several feet tall keeps the floodwaters at bay as Helene churns through the area. (Raza, 9/27)
Fox Weather: Florida Officials Warn Of Fires After Electric Vehicles’ Exposure To Saltwater
The combination of storm surge from the Gulf of Mexico and lithium-ion batteries in vehicles has proven to be a recipe for disaster, as Florida agencies report responding to numerous fires in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Photos and videos from the Tampa Bay area show the aftermath of highly combustible batteries being exposed to saltwater, leaving homes damaged and cars destroyed. (Wulfeck, 9/28)
