Biden-Harris Administration Updates on Hurricane Helene Response in North Carolina Click HERE to see photos of damage left behind by Helene.  Latest updates as of October 1: At the Direction of President Biden, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is in North Carolina and will remain there until the situation has stabilized. FEMA and other agencies have more than 1,200 personnel in North Carolina, with more resources and staff arriving daily. After President Biden approved a Major Disaster declaration for North Carolina over the weekend, people in 25 counties in North Carolina can now apply for assistance with FEMA. More counties may be declared in these states as damage assessments continue. People can apply in three ways: online by visiting disasterassistance.gov, calling 1-800-621-3362 or on the FEMA App. FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams are deployed to North Carolina to help survivors register for disaster assistance, answer questions and help people jumpstart their recovery. Team members will be visiting shelter locations to help survivors without cell service or power be able to begin their application. FEMA assistance in may include funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula and emergency supplies. Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance for a temporary place to stay. Homeowners and renters with damage to their home or personal property from previous disasters, whether they received FEMA funds or not, are still eligible to apply for and receive assistance for Hurricane Helene. Power restoration crews continue working 24 hours a day throughout parts of North Carolina. Generators, mutual aid crews and additional power restoration assets are being moved into the hardest hit areas as debris removal allows. The HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response has established a National Disaster Medical System medical treatment site at the Mission Hospital campus in Asheville and Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pines, North Carolina. ASPR Health and Medical Task Force Teams are supporting state medical needs shelters in Hickory and Mills Springs, North Carolina. In addition, the ASPR Incident Management Team is working closely with state officials to identify health care needs including in rural communities and areas which may be cut off from transportation systems. Additionally, 200 federal ambulances have been provided to North Carolina. With 10 search and rescue teams on the ground, another nine teams are arriving today for more than 900 personnel to assist with these efforts. Together with local and state responders, teams have rescued or supported more than 1,130 in North Carolina. The U.S. Coast Guard crews have saved 21 lives and five pets in the response so far, with rescues continuing in North Carolina. The U.S. Department of Energy has responders deployed to North Carolina to assist restoration efforts. Two FEMA Incident Management Assessment Teams are in North Carolina. The team will coordinate directly with the state to facilitate requests for assistance. So far, 25 trailer-loads of meals and 60 trailers-loads of water have been delivered to the state to support response efforts. More trailer loads of meals and water will be delivered in the coming days. A C-17 cargo plane full of food, water and other commodities has arrived at the forward operating base in Asheville, with a daily flow of commodities established via air bridge. There are 29 shelters open with over 1,000 occupants. 40 Starlink satellite systems are available to help with responder communications and an additional 140 satellites are being shipped to assist with communications infrastructure restoration. One Starlink will be deployed per county EOC to assist with communications and continuity of government. Generators are moving from Charlotte-Mecklenberg to Asheville, with another 30 generators enroute to the staging base in Mecklenburg. Disaster Medical Assistance Teams are in Asheville providing emergency room medical support at hospitals. FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams are going to the field, focusing on shelters, where they will assist survivors in applying for assistance. The Salvation Army is coordinating with county emergency management agencies and partner organizations. North Carolina’s Incident Management Team is activated, with two canteens in Boone and Buncombe County. Biden-Harris Administration Updates on Hurricane Helene Response in South Carolina   Latest updates as of October 1: President Biden has spoken with South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster. President Biden approved a Major Disaster declaration for South Carolina, allowing survivors to immediately access funds and resources to jumpstart their recovery. FEMA assistance in South Carolina may include a one-time $750 payment to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula and other emergency supplies. After registering for disaster assistance, individuals may also qualify to receive disaster-related financial assistance to repair storm-related damage to homes and replace personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay. Homeowners and renters with damage to their home or personal property from previous disasters, whether they received FEMA funds or not, are still eligible to apply for and receive assistance for Hurricane Helene. People in 13 counties in South Carolina can now apply for assistance with FEMA. People can apply in four ways: online by visiting disasterassistance.gov, calling 1-800-621-3362, on the FEMA App, or via disaster recovery centers. Emergency declarations were also approved for South Carolina. Under an emergency declaration, FEMA provides direct Federal support to states for life saving activities and other emergency protective measures, such as evacuation, sheltering, and search and rescue. A FEMA Incident Management Assistance Team is onsite at the state Emergency Operations Center in Columbia to coordinate with the state and facilitate any requests for assistance. HHS declared a public health emergency for South Carolina to address the health impacts of Hurricane Helene.