The Long Run: Helene Response, Recovery, Resources And More

“It is apocalyptic.”

The three-word email message from Mayor Zeb Smathers of Canton arrived on the afternoon of September 28, affirming fears of devastation brought about by Tropical Storm Helene the day before. The Haywood County attorney was speaking from experience, having lived through the destruction of Tropical Storm Fred only three years earlier.

The news would only get worse as days passed and rescue efforts intensified across North Carolina, especially in the western part of the state. The tragic deaths of attorneys Michael Drye of Asheville and Chuck Hoyle of Kings Mountain were included among the rising death toll, which has now surpassed 100.

The aftermath of Helene is shown in this photo. Debris from trees, homes and cars is strewn across the landscape. Trees and some standing houses are visible in the background.

The road to recovery will be a long one, and for thousands who have lost family members and friends, homes and offices, and in some instances entire communities, life as they knew it will never be the same. Restoration of water and power continues in many remote locations, and the loss of some roads and bridges may take years to overcome.

The volunteer response of North Carolina Bar Association members, encompassed largely in the longstanding North Carolina Disaster Legal Services (DLS) program, may also require years to run its course in providing pro bono legal assistance to storm victims. It is simply too early to tell how long it will take, given the scope of damage and the expanse of counties and tribes – 39 altogether – deemed eligible to receive federal assistance. By way of comparison, the DLS response to Hurricane Floyd in 1999, considered the worst flooding ever recorded in Eastern North Carolina, covered 30 counties.

The NCBA Young Lawyers Division has been at the forefront of the DLS effort for decades, coordinating the program in partnership with the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC).

Storm damage from Helene is shown in this photo. A small green house has been destroyed, and a car with debris and trees on it is shown in front of the house.

The DLS pro bono program provides disaster-related resources and services to the public and attorneys with the support of the North Carolina Bar Foundation, the NC Pro Bono Resource Center, and the NCBA Paralegal Division. In the response to Tropical Storm Helene, DLS is also working with Pisgah Legal Services in Western North Carolina.


The advertisement reads, "Strength & Experience: Retirement and financial wellness planning for your employees. Contact us today! 800-826-8901, abaretirement.com"


A wealth of information is available on the NCBA and NCBF websites, including three key areas:

Volunteer: Disaster Legal Services Volunteer Sign-Up Form

Access this link to volunteer your services in support of the DLS effort. North Carolina-licensed attorneys, out-of-state attorneys, paralegals and law students can all use this form to volunteer.

Donate: NC Disaster Legal Services

Your donations support DLS volunteer recruitment and training, DLS pro bono case management, and remote and in-person volunteer opportunities through clinics, ask-a-lawyer events, and other services. Your donations also help us share information about DLS pro bono services within the communities directly impacted at FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers. The need will continue for the foreseeable future.

Resources: Natural Disaster Aftermath and Recovery Resources for Lawyers

The NCBA Center for Practice Management will maintain a clearinghouse of resources for attorneys throughout the duration of the recovery effort. These resources include but are not limited to state and federal services, mental health support through BarCARES (NCBA) and NCLAP (N.C. State Bar), and additional State Bar resources.

A bright blue building with graffiti on it has collapsed on one side, with wood and other debris below it.

The North Carolina Bar Foundation’s annual #GivingTuesday campaign will be held on December 3, and NC Disaster Legal Services is the focal point of this year’s effort. More than 1,500 attorneys, paralegals and law students have already volunteered, and your #GivingTuesday donation will help mobilize these efforts, case by case, for months to come. Mark your calendars for #GivingTuesday and show your support for the relief effort.

The North Carolina Bar Association and Foundation are committed to supporting the recovery effort for the long run, and the impact of these efforts is already being felt in Western North Carolina.

Please access the YLD Column in this edition of North Carolina Lawyer for boots-on-the-ground insight from Brooks Savage and Brad Piland, co-chairs of the YLD Standing Committee on Disaster Legal Services.

Photos courtesy of Bob Friedman of NC Triangle Attorney at Law Magazine.


Russell Rawlings is director of external affairs and communications for the North Carolina Bar Association.