When Hurricane Helene struck Western North Carolina on September 27, 2024, Blue Ridge Public Radio became a vital resource for the community. I led BPR’s small news team as we moved to 24-hour coverage of the more than 14-inches of rain that devastated the area. The team reported on washed out roads, decimated communities and flooded homes and businesses. The storm claimed more than 100 lives and displaced more than 16,000 people. State officials estimated more than $54 billion in damage.
With widespread cell and wifi outages, thousands of Western North Carolinians relied on radio broadcast for crucial information. Working around-the-clock, the BPR news team reported crucial updates for hard-hit communities including access to potable and nonpotable water, health care facilities and shelters.
To address the connectivity challenges, BPR worked with the NC Local News Workshop and Blue Lena to create a text-only version of the website for audiences with limited cell or internet access. BPR also became a hub for journalists from other outlets to work and file stories.
Prior to the storm, BPR recognized the need for Spanish-language reporting but did not have the resources to provide it. During the storm, motivated by the necessity of getting lifesaving information to all communities, the station’s two bilingual reporters worked tirelessly to provide updates in Spanish multiple times a day.
The team reported not only the economic harm but the tears Helene made in the fabric of Western NC.
Stories about the River Arts District, once a thriving community of 500 artists, showed what flood water swept away and what artists determined to rebuild. The team reported on how the storm gave rise to a longing for normalcy and and offered ways for heartbroken residents to help their community recover.
BPR pushed repeatedly for state authorities to release the names of the deceased. The persistence paid off in early 2025 when BPR broke the news of names of those who perished. Community members thanked the team for pushing to make the names known and remembering the deceased.
One of the most notable responses to the storm came not from official sources but instead from a robust community mutual aid action. BPR told the stories of neighbors helping neighbors. The work was praised as a “beacon in a crisis” and a model for how a small team can adapt to challenging circumstances.
