WASHINGTON — As we continue to see more devastation in Asheville, North Carolina, more people are stepping up to help.
"We want to be there to help them get back to having safe, reliable drinking water for everyone that is in that Asheville area,” D.C. Water Senior Manager Communications Sherri Lewis said.
More first responders and people from the D.C., Maryland and Virginia communities are coming together to assist. A team of four people with DC Water left Monday morning to head to Asheville to help.
On Sunday night, the focus was packing up and loading before they take the 8-hour-drive to North Carolina to help with ongoing hurricane recovery.
"We're grateful to have the staff and the people who have the expertise that are able to go into these areas and help where they're needed,” Lewis said.
The crew is made up people who are experienced in emergency management and operations, whose goal is to help restore water and sewage services to the community.
Thousands have been living without running water or power for about three weeks.
"I have friends down there -- I keep up with them on Facebook -- their washing, their water is from resources they're getting either from the river or from donations," crew member Sarah Franzheim said. "It's hard to imagine that people in 2024 can be without water for such a long time."
She is bringing her expertise in emergency planning to help end that streak.
"Our teams will be doing logistics, planning, they'll be helping in the emergency operations center, coordinating situational information, working to help the Asheville water utility. It's not just flip a switch and the water comes back on,” Lewis said.
They are joining other teams that have deployed crews down South to help.
Greg Vernon is one of the members making the trip to Asheville. He says he's ready to help in any way he can.
"We're looking enough to have internet and telecommunications as well as power down there, so we're lucky there that we're not truly roughing it," Vernon said. "But it definitely a whole lot of preparedness for ourselves as well as personal protective equipment for ourselves to make sure if we have to go out in the field that we're ready to go as needed."
Chris Coit told WUSA9 that he hopes to bring the experience of DC Water to those who need it.
"We're able to provide the combined experience of the emergency response side of DC Water with the water utility experience," Coit said. "We're hoping to lend that experience to the folks in Asheville and really help out in any way we can."
Sarah Franzheim said it has been particularly difficult to watch the devastation as she thinks about her friends and family.
“It’s very surreal to see a place where you have so many memories and thoughts and excitement attached to it and to see that it’s not there anymore," Franzheim said. "I’m excited to go down, not only because I get to help the community, but I get to help my friends and family and I get to help people in general, but I’m a little nervous going down to see what it’s actually going to be like in real life, because photos and videos are one thing, but actually seeing it in person is a whole different situation.”
Virginia Task Force 1, a search and rescue team based in Fairfax County, is in Florida to assist with the response to the storm. The team of 80 highly trained personnel and 4 search-and-rescue canines deployed last week.
Maryland Task Force 1 returned after two weeks of work in Georgia and Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene. The task force sent another crew to help after Hurricane Milton last Thursday.
"The level of resilience is one that person never seen before. The sense of community in those areas,” Maryland Task Force 1 Rescue Specialist Nathan Wondimu said. “They're all willing to support and help each other. They are appreciative of our presence and checking on their welfare and filling the gaps as far as any need and supporting their needs as well."
The crew of four from D.C. Water is expected to work in Asheville for about 15 days.
"They need a break too,” Lewis said. “So, we're there not only to help people get their water and sewer service back but to also to help those people who have been working so hard for so long."