Helene update on Western NC disaster (10-04-2024--Hour1)

[00:00:04] [SPEAKER_07]: What's going on? Thank you so much for listening to this podcast. It is heard live every day from noon to three on WBT radio in Charlotte

[00:00:11] [SPEAKER_07]: And if you want exclusive content like invitations to events the weekly live stream my daily show prep with all the links become a patron

[00:00:19] [SPEAKER_07]: Go to the Pete Kaliner show comm make sure you hit the subscribe button get every episode for free write your smartphone or tablet

[00:00:26] [SPEAKER_07]: And again, thank you so much for your support

[00:00:29] [SPEAKER_07]: I'm trying to keep pace with the messages that have been flowing in from Western North Carolina

[00:00:34] [SPEAKER_07]: And people are starting to get their service their internet service back

[00:00:40] [SPEAKER_07]: Thanks to you know star links and cell providers that have been setting up

[00:00:45] [SPEAKER_07]: temporary towers and such

[00:00:48] [SPEAKER_07]: communications really the

[00:00:52] [SPEAKER_07]: Vital

[00:00:54] [SPEAKER_07]: Cog in the machine because otherwise you don't know where people are you can't

[00:01:00] [SPEAKER_07]: You can't collect the information necessary to deploy the resources and the rescue efforts so

[00:01:08] [SPEAKER_07]: Maybe I don't know maybe we'll we'll keep the star links

[00:01:13] [SPEAKER_07]: Is that possible? Can we keep them up there? Can we keep them going? Keep using those?

[00:01:19] [SPEAKER_07]: It seems like a pretty good first line of defense, you know or I guess reaction

[00:01:26] [SPEAKER_07]: I

[00:01:27] [SPEAKER_07]: Me run through some of the latest information out of the disaster area

[00:01:33] [SPEAKER_07]: And the efforts that are underway it has now been a week

[00:01:38] [SPEAKER_07]: Since Hurricane Helene hit the area

[00:01:41] [SPEAKER_07]: dumping

[00:01:43] [SPEAKER_07]: Well, I guess I've seen reports anywhere from 20 to 30 inches of rain

[00:01:48] [SPEAKER_07]: Into Western North Carolina after they'd already had between seven to eleven inches of rain the week prior and

[00:01:56] [SPEAKER_07]: it all created the

[00:01:58] [SPEAKER_07]: the largest flood

[00:02:01] [SPEAKER_07]: ever seen there and

[00:02:04] [SPEAKER_07]: You know, it's basically registered as a 1,000 year flood at this point

[00:02:10] [SPEAKER_07]: Believe it's the second or third worst

[00:02:16] [SPEAKER_07]: Hurricane

[00:02:18] [SPEAKER_07]: By way of casualties there are now more than 220 dead

[00:02:23] [SPEAKER_07]: hundreds

[00:02:24] [SPEAKER_07]: still unaccounted for and

[00:02:27] [SPEAKER_07]: We're hoping that they just haven't been able to

[00:02:31] [SPEAKER_07]: Send word yet

[00:02:34] [SPEAKER_07]: The United States Geological Survey

[00:02:38] [SPEAKER_07]: Says that there were more than a hundred landslides

[00:02:42] [SPEAKER_07]: Observed those are the just the ones that are observed

[00:02:45] [SPEAKER_07]: 127 total the majority of which occurred

[00:02:50] [SPEAKER_07]: In Western North Carolina in the mountains and that was up from 73

[00:02:56] [SPEAKER_07]: landslides as

[00:02:59] [SPEAKER_07]: Of Wednesday, so Wednesday afternoon they had counted 73

[00:03:03] [SPEAKER_07]: Yesterday afternoon or evening. They had the total up to 127 of the 127

[00:03:11] [SPEAKER_07]: 111 are considered flagged landslides and

[00:03:17] [SPEAKER_07]: What that means is that the landslide has impacted rivers roads and structures

[00:03:25] [SPEAKER_07]: So they're flagged so it's not just like in the middle of the woods not affecting anybody or any roads or anything

[00:03:34] [SPEAKER_07]: We told you yesterday, I believe it was yesterday

[00:03:39] [SPEAKER_07]: More than 300 power substations

[00:03:42] [SPEAKER_07]: Were taken down were knocked offline

[00:03:46] [SPEAKER_07]: The good news is that I think Duke Energy reported that they're

[00:03:51] [SPEAKER_07]: They've restored power to a million customers at this point

[00:03:57] [SPEAKER_07]: Which is you know, obviously very good because if you've got power back and you're on a well then you've got water again

[00:04:06] [SPEAKER_07]: For people who are on the the municipal systems

[00:04:09] [SPEAKER_07]: They still don't a lot of them still don't have water. I'll get to some of those numbers

[00:04:16] [SPEAKER_07]: Private helicopters have rescued more than 200 people out of an operation

[00:04:23] [SPEAKER_07]: Staged from the Hickory Airport

[00:04:26] [SPEAKER_07]: More than 200 people rescued

[00:04:30] [SPEAKER_07]: Bunkham County where Asheville is located

[00:04:35] [SPEAKER_07]: According to W. L. O s dot com which is

[00:04:39] [SPEAKER_07]: Good clearing house. They've been doing a really good job

[00:04:43] [SPEAKER_07]: local television station in Asheville and

[00:04:47] [SPEAKER_07]: They they do a live update feed on their website

[00:04:51] [SPEAKER_07]: So you can go there and get updates Bunkham County has activated their call center the one bunkham call center

[00:05:01] [SPEAKER_07]: That's the name of it. I don't mean to say like there's only one

[00:05:03] [SPEAKER_07]: I'm just saying it's like one bunkham. Oh any bunkham one bunkham call center and

[00:05:09] [SPEAKER_07]: That is available if residents want to report storm damage. They want to access resources. They want to find

[00:05:16] [SPEAKER_07]: Storm-related information and that phone number is 828

[00:05:21] [SPEAKER_07]: 250

[00:05:23] [SPEAKER_07]: 6100 and that call center is going to operate seven days a week

[00:05:28] [SPEAKER_07]: in Bunkham County the death toll is

[00:05:31] [SPEAKER_07]: at 72 the sheriff Quentin Miller said that

[00:05:39] [SPEAKER_07]: The number of reported

[00:05:42] [SPEAKER_07]: People missing is still more than 200

[00:05:47] [SPEAKER_07]: So when I gave the

[00:05:50] [SPEAKER_07]: The death toll at over is last on the last number. I saw was 220

[00:05:55] [SPEAKER_07]: About half of those I think more than half of them now are in Western North Carolina

[00:06:01] [SPEAKER_07]: What else Hendersonville

[00:06:04] [SPEAKER_07]: Which is in Henderson County right next door to Asheville

[00:06:10] [SPEAKER_07]: Smaller in population a little bit flatter a little bit flatter

[00:06:16] [SPEAKER_07]: The water and sewer estimates their water and sewer department estimates that

[00:06:23] [SPEAKER_07]: They've got 70%

[00:06:25] [SPEAKER_07]: With no system pressure advisory, but the water that there's no longer a

[00:06:31] [SPEAKER_07]: System pressure advisory and that the water is now okay to drink

[00:06:35] [SPEAKER_07]: 25% of their customers do have a system pressure advisory in effect

[00:06:42] [SPEAKER_07]: but they do have water service and

[00:06:44] [SPEAKER_07]: There's just 5% that still are without water and

[00:06:50] [SPEAKER_07]: They may be facing an extended outage, but they don't know

[00:06:54] [SPEAKER_07]: The town of try on

[00:06:57] [SPEAKER_07]: Sent out which is sort of on the way up. You know where the big guy the big horse

[00:07:03] [SPEAKER_07]: Horse jumping contests are held and all that on the way up the mountain on the way through

[00:07:09] [SPEAKER_07]: From what 74 up into Henderson County before you get to Henderson County. There's try on and that's actually

[00:07:16] [SPEAKER_07]: second that's where the

[00:07:20] [SPEAKER_07]: atrium med one

[00:07:23] [SPEAKER_07]: Deployed the med one compound is set up and ready to provide health care to people in Western North Carolina

[00:07:30] [SPEAKER_07]: Nearly 30 additional atrium health providers and support staff arrived in try on

[00:07:37] [SPEAKER_07]: To I guess it would have been two mornings ago

[00:07:39] [SPEAKER_07]: So they are set up and they are seeing patients in try on. It's a mobile

[00:07:45] [SPEAKER_07]: medical unit and

[00:07:49] [SPEAKER_07]: The town of try on sent out an alert

[00:07:53] [SPEAKER_07]: Yesterday afternoon that the boil water advisory had been lifted

[00:07:58] [SPEAKER_07]: So that's good news for Henderson County. They will be providing in Henderson County

[00:08:02] [SPEAKER_07]: They'll be providing free curbside storm debris pickup

[00:08:06] [SPEAKER_07]: To County residents in the best way

[00:08:08] [SPEAKER_07]: To do that is just leave it on the curb and they've got extra contractors coming in to haul all the stuff away

[00:08:17] [SPEAKER_07]: Let's see here to do what else as of the morning of October 3rd

[00:08:23] [SPEAKER_07]: so yesterday morning 85,000 in

[00:08:26] [SPEAKER_07]: Bunkham County are still without power, but progress is being made

[00:08:33] [SPEAKER_07]: And if you are able to do so you can register for FEMA assistance by calling the following phone number

[00:08:41] [SPEAKER_07]: 1-800-621-FEMA

[00:08:45] [SPEAKER_07]: 1-800-621-FEMA if you've got internet service you can also go to disaster assistance

[00:08:53] [SPEAKER_07]: Gov disaster assistance gov

[00:08:57] [SPEAKER_07]: According to

[00:09:00] [SPEAKER_07]: the

[00:09:00] [SPEAKER_07]: Western North Carolina regional administrator for FEMA Mary and Tierney

[00:09:05] [SPEAKER_07]: They have five teams FEMA has five teams in Western North Carolina and the teams are usually about eight members each

[00:09:14] [SPEAKER_07]: So 40 people from FEMA are in Western North Carolina

[00:09:20] [SPEAKER_07]: One of the main topics of the Bunkham County press conference was water and how to get it to people that need it a

[00:09:28] [SPEAKER_07]: lot

[00:09:29] [SPEAKER_07]: Are wondering why some spots are having to wait longer than other spots and the county manager

[00:09:36] [SPEAKER_07]: Avril Pinder or Avril

[00:09:39] [SPEAKER_07]: Avril Pinder

[00:09:41] [SPEAKER_07]: She said quote it breaks my heart that we can't do everything all at once

[00:09:46] [SPEAKER_07]: First we went large and now we are whittling down to other places

[00:09:50] [SPEAKER_07]: Planning is important and it takes time that really is that that really is the race here

[00:09:56] [SPEAKER_07]: It's it's to get as much stuff to as many people as quickly as possible and

[00:10:02] [SPEAKER_07]: So you start with a major area where a lot of people are and then once you get that

[00:10:09] [SPEAKER_07]: Distribution mechanism in place then you start pushing outward, you know and

[00:10:14] [SPEAKER_07]: That takes time and I know that's frustrating and I know it makes people angry. I do

[00:10:20] [SPEAKER_07]: Pender said that the the county was getting a consistent supply of water from tankers that have been brought in from Spartanburg

[00:10:27] [SPEAKER_07]: And they also have bottled water supplies coming from the state, you know stories are powerful

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[00:11:33] [SPEAKER_07]: Let me go over to Joe and speak with him. Hello Joe. Welcome to the program

[00:11:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Hello Pete. Hey

[00:11:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Listen to you talk about the reaction and I actually I've been in Florida all week on business

[00:11:48] [SPEAKER_00]: But just landed and tuning in and you're talking about FEMA and the reaction

[00:11:54] [SPEAKER_00]: While waiting at the airport down in Florida there were three FEMA personnel

[00:12:00] [SPEAKER_00]: with all the badging and backpacks and equipment and

[00:12:04] [SPEAKER_00]: They were standing in the gate and it was a little bit of a delay and I couldn't help myself

[00:12:08] [SPEAKER_00]: So I wandered over to talk to them sir and I asked I said

[00:12:13] [SPEAKER_00]: do you all mind asking when did you get orders to head up to North Carolina and

[00:12:19] [SPEAKER_00]: They they avoided answering it

[00:12:21] [SPEAKER_00]: But they said well, we've been staged down here and I said okay

[00:12:25] [SPEAKER_00]: I said so was the anticipation. This is where you'd be needed most and

[00:12:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Was just everyone's having to react now a week later and one of them said yes

[00:12:36] [SPEAKER_00]: And the other two looked like I'm not saying a thing

[00:12:40] [SPEAKER_00]: And I know it's not them the leadership is I think who's to blame for the poor response and horrible reaction

[00:12:47] [SPEAKER_00]: But I could tell these three did not want to really talk about it too much

[00:12:54] [SPEAKER_00]: And it was I thought it was kind of a

[00:12:58] [SPEAKER_00]: commentary itself that were over a week from the storm and

[00:13:03] [SPEAKER_00]: These people are just getting on a plane

[00:13:06] [SPEAKER_00]: To head to Charlotte to go out and try and do whatever they can do

[00:13:11] [SPEAKER_07]: Yeah, so I wanted to mention. Yeah, no it's I mean it's a

[00:13:15] [SPEAKER_07]: I mean it is illustrative

[00:13:17] [SPEAKER_07]: I think of a couple things right number one that these people don't want to talk to anybody because

[00:13:22] [SPEAKER_07]: They're probably afraid they'd lose their jobs

[00:13:24] [SPEAKER_07]: You know

[00:13:25] [SPEAKER_07]: They don't know who you are and if you were to say call into a radio station and tell them

[00:13:30] [SPEAKER_07]: Relay what they said, you know, they they could get into a lot of trouble

[00:13:35] [SPEAKER_07]: And that's that's a shame

[00:13:37] [SPEAKER_07]: Because I didn't I don't think what you asked them was, you know, I don't think it was controversial

[00:13:43] [SPEAKER_07]: Just to find out, you know when'd you get deployed because it would make and and you gave them, you know a potential

[00:13:49] [SPEAKER_07]: Explanation if they hadn't had one before

[00:13:53] [SPEAKER_07]: Yeah, I mean it makes sense that everybody thought it was going to be really really bad in Florida

[00:13:57] [SPEAKER_07]: And that's where they would be needed and now they have to redeploy

[00:14:00] [SPEAKER_07]: Out of that area because they've they've been able to rebound more quickly and nobody anticipated the problems up here

[00:14:08] [SPEAKER_07]: So I think that's a fair assessment

[00:14:11] [SPEAKER_07]: And then as for the delay, yeah, like I don't ever count on FEMA

[00:14:15] [SPEAKER_07]: I've been saying this though for 20 years since Katrina is that FEMA is not an emergency responder

[00:14:22] [SPEAKER_07]: They never were it was never it was never set up for that and then of course there was a way to

[00:14:27] [SPEAKER_07]: To hurt George W. Bush after Katrina, so then it became as you know

[00:14:31] [SPEAKER_07]: Well, what about FEMA?

[00:14:33] [SPEAKER_07]: He didn't send FEMA and FEMA this FEMA that and then when I looked into what FEMA's supposed to be doing and they just basically

[00:14:39] [SPEAKER_07]: were you know handing out checks and

[00:14:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, now they're the insurance adjusters for the federal government

[00:14:45] [SPEAKER_07]: I hate and so

[00:14:46] [SPEAKER_07]: But because of Katrina and a way to you know extract a pound of flesh out of Bush's hide

[00:14:53] [SPEAKER_07]: Then it became you know this narrative that FEMA's supposed to be like the boots on the ground and you know

[00:14:59] [SPEAKER_07]: Repelling out a helicopter saving people off of mountain sides, and that's not what they do. It's not traditionally

[00:15:05] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, these yeah, these people were not they were not going to be backpacking into

[00:15:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Ruin areas you could tell that okay. We'll just wanted to share I appreciate it Joe. Thanks

[00:15:17] [SPEAKER_07]: Yes, sir have a great weekend. Let me go over to David. Hello David welcome to the show

[00:15:23] [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you. Yes, sir. I wanted to tell you that I've been on some of the helicopter rescue missions

[00:15:30] [SPEAKER_01]: To operation airdrop. Oh god bless you past four days or so and

[00:15:36] [SPEAKER_01]: There's a lot of you know

[00:15:39] [SPEAKER_01]: Talk out there about

[00:15:41] [SPEAKER_01]: You know the government's response and all that and I think probably the truth is in the middle of what you're hearing

[00:15:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Because I can only tell you what I've observed from multiple trips into that zone

[00:15:52] [SPEAKER_01]: That the majority of the work is being done by volunteer

[00:15:58] [SPEAKER_01]: helicopter pilots and

[00:16:01] [SPEAKER_01]: For the past four days

[00:16:05] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not sure what this indicates, but we've seen exactly two Chinook helicopters and two blackhawks

[00:16:12] [SPEAKER_01]: And one day the whole zone was closed due to

[00:16:17] [SPEAKER_01]: The president's visit I think which was kind of you know

[00:16:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Problematic because we couldn't get in there, but it's just interesting. Yeah, I think that the truth is in the middle

[00:16:28] [SPEAKER_01]: I think there is a very slow response from the federal government and it's not a very practical response from the federal government

[00:16:36] [SPEAKER_01]: And I must say that there are at any given time in the airports of

[00:16:42] [SPEAKER_01]: Lincolnton and Hickory and other places where we need to stop and refuel

[00:16:47] [SPEAKER_01]: There's 25 helicopters on the ground

[00:16:51] [SPEAKER_01]: Being serviced and loaded with goods for these air drops, but I've not once seen

[00:16:59] [SPEAKER_01]: Federal or military presence at those sites at the airports

[00:17:04] [SPEAKER_07]: Right. Yeah. Well, and I have seen a report little in the air. Yeah, no

[00:17:09] [SPEAKER_07]: And I've seen a report that the Chinooks are they're too large to land in a lot of these places

[00:17:16] [SPEAKER_07]: If they're trying to get people out, but it seems like they they could be running the supply drops

[00:17:23] [SPEAKER_07]: You know, they could be doing that and freeing up the smaller helicopters to

[00:17:27] [SPEAKER_07]: To do the pickups. I mean, that's what it seems like to me

[00:17:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, I think that's that's so

[00:17:32] [SPEAKER_01]: There is a lot of confusion out there, of course in an unexpected situation like this, right?

[00:17:39] [SPEAKER_01]: For instance, I mean we get coordinates on a little note card with specific mission data and needs

[00:17:45] [SPEAKER_01]: And we try to find the closest place to land to those coordinates and sometimes you have to improvise and

[00:17:53] [SPEAKER_01]: Unfortunately, sometimes you'll land and it's rather obsolete information. So it's the management part that is really necessary

[00:18:04] [SPEAKER_01]: one of the pilots that

[00:18:06] [SPEAKER_01]: has been working with us here is

[00:18:10] [SPEAKER_01]: He's looking to the future and he's founded his own nonprofit to

[00:18:15] [SPEAKER_01]: Help with helicopter rescue as such situations to try to coordinate this

[00:18:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Sooner so that the information flow is clear and there's less

[00:18:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Time wasted because in these situations, of course time means lives right now and that's a really good

[00:18:33] [SPEAKER_07]: That's really good to hear because like this

[00:18:37] [SPEAKER_07]: Usually when hurricanes hit they don't hit

[00:18:40] [SPEAKER_07]: mountainous areas like this

[00:18:42] [SPEAKER_07]: And it that has created a whole host of challenges that usually

[00:18:47] [SPEAKER_07]: The first responders and then the state and the feds that they come in they don't have to deal with this kind of stuff

[00:18:52] [SPEAKER_07]: I like I'm I'm not aware of another type of a natural disaster that has required

[00:18:57] [SPEAKER_07]: This kind of helicopter presence, you know in order to make an impact

[00:19:03] [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, that terrain is so mismatched with that particular kind of storm. Yeah, historically

[00:19:11] [SPEAKER_01]: It's really I think it's the flood damage and the mudslides are two separate things. Yeah, and

[00:19:18] [SPEAKER_01]: It makes it very challenging sometimes. Yeah, David. Thank you very much for the info

[00:19:23] [SPEAKER_07]: Thanks for calling and thanks for doing the work that you're doing

[00:19:26] [SPEAKER_07]: Thank you. Thank you. God bless

[00:19:29] [SPEAKER_07]: Thank you, David appreciate that. All right holiday season approaches and here's an idea give a gift that makes a difference

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[00:20:45] [SPEAKER_07]: Just a reminder a curfew remains in effect in Asheville and a lot of the Western North Carolina counties and cities

[00:20:55] [SPEAKER_07]: Asheville government says offices and parks will be closed until further notice household trash collection

[00:21:03] [SPEAKER_07]: Only bagged trash will resume on Monday, but routes are being determined based on road accessibility

[00:21:11] [SPEAKER_07]: Let me go back to the phones here 704 570 1110

[00:21:16] [SPEAKER_07]: This is JT. Hello JT welcome to the show sir. I'm Pete

[00:21:21] [SPEAKER_04]: I am a

[00:21:23] [SPEAKER_04]: State law enforcement captain stationed in the Charlotte area and I'm a 29 year state law enforcement officer

[00:21:29] [SPEAKER_04]: And I have worked every disaster that's hit North Carolina since her came Fran

[00:21:34] [SPEAKER_04]: I worked Fran Floyd and Irene as

[00:21:37] [SPEAKER_04]: boots on the ground kind of guy and

[00:21:40] [SPEAKER_04]: The last two Matthew and Michael I've worked in a management position

[00:21:44] [SPEAKER_04]: And I work closely in the message with FEMA here hundred percent correct about FEMA FEMA is not a boots on the ground

[00:21:50] [SPEAKER_04]: ABC and I don't think people realize that they are more of a

[00:21:56] [SPEAKER_04]: Pocketbook agency like you said

[00:21:59] [SPEAKER_04]: The South interstate are amazing at handling emergency disasters, but they need resources

[00:22:05] [SPEAKER_04]: So when there's a shortage of emergency parts of five to reach out to FEMA FEMA find another place in the country and bring it here

[00:22:11] [SPEAKER_04]: But they are clearly not a boots on the ground AC they're an agency to provide

[00:22:16] [SPEAKER_04]: resources to the state and local agencies that are managing the disaster and

[00:22:21] [SPEAKER_07]: it and

[00:22:22] [SPEAKER_07]: What I have observed is that that usually occurs

[00:22:26] [SPEAKER_07]: After the first, you know 48 72 hours because that's how long it takes them to mobilize the first response

[00:22:34] [SPEAKER_07]: As always the neighborhoods the the cities the towns the state and then the Feds

[00:22:41] [SPEAKER_04]: And the state does have a substantial amount of emergency supplies water food stuff like that

[00:22:46] [SPEAKER_04]: Door, but it's going to usually run out in four or five days right you're correct assessment. Okay

[00:22:54] [SPEAKER_07]: Is there anything are you doing any work on this one right now?

[00:22:58] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm working from a management position

[00:23:00] [SPEAKER_04]: Monitor observing monitoring operations, but I will say that 75% of my staff which is stationed in the Charlotte area

[00:23:06] [SPEAKER_07]: Has been in the mountains since Saturday. Yeah, God bless them and are they getting?

[00:23:11] [SPEAKER_07]: Are they getting relieved? Do they get do they get some downtime my first?

[00:23:17] [SPEAKER_04]: They are getting some down there working long hours

[00:23:19] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah long hours at my first team is the first team I sent Saturday, so it's becoming home today

[00:23:24] [SPEAKER_04]: But the state is mobilizing law enforcement from all across the state to go through to help those people

[00:23:29] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, and I will say the terrain is a substantial problem for operations up there

[00:23:37] [SPEAKER_07]: Right. Well, I mean and even even before

[00:23:40] [SPEAKER_07]: This kind of an event the terrain is a is a substantial impediment

[00:23:46] [SPEAKER_07]: Now add in yeah add in mudslides slope failure washed out roads trees down

[00:23:53] [SPEAKER_07]: Yellow jackets swarming everywhere like it's just it's

[00:23:57] [SPEAKER_07]: There's there's no way like there's there isn't anything that you could do to prepare for that kind of those kinds of conditions

[00:24:05] [SPEAKER_07]: Yes, sir. Yeah

[00:24:07] [SPEAKER_07]: Well, JT thank you for the information. I appreciate it. Thanks for the work that you do too

[00:24:13] [SPEAKER_07]: Okay, yes, sir. Thank you. All right take care. God bless you stay safe

[00:24:20] [SPEAKER_07]: Let me see here next up was I think of here we go Billy

[00:24:24] [SPEAKER_03]: Hello, Billy. Welcome to the program. Hey, Billy. Hey, I would just like to say when Hurricane Andrew hit South Florida

[00:24:31] [SPEAKER_03]: I was there the day after

[00:24:34] [SPEAKER_03]: by way of my job with an insurance company and

[00:24:38] [SPEAKER_03]: that environment

[00:24:39] [SPEAKER_03]: When I think about compared to what's going on in Asheville was easy

[00:24:44] [SPEAKER_03]: Even though there's a lot of devastation

[00:24:46] [SPEAKER_03]: They're basically the roads were still good. Everybody got on the interstate and left our went somewhere else

[00:24:52] [SPEAKER_03]: It was just

[00:24:54] [SPEAKER_03]: Asheville is just a totally different animal. I mean it's

[00:24:58] [SPEAKER_03]: Like the last color said the terrain. Yeah

[00:25:02] [SPEAKER_03]: It's impossible where in Miami or

[00:25:06] [SPEAKER_03]: The area I was in it was relatively easy you can get around you just plow through the streets and

[00:25:14] [SPEAKER_03]: Get there and everybody was able to get out of there

[00:25:16] [SPEAKER_03]: But Asheville, it's just not possible. I really feel for those people because

[00:25:21] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, it's gonna take years and years or for that area to come back and even the businesses that weren't destroyed

[00:25:28] [SPEAKER_03]: By this event are going to be so severely impacted

[00:25:34] [SPEAKER_03]: Because of the event whether it's they can't operate or the tourism is going to be down

[00:25:40] [SPEAKER_03]: You know this fall season that's done. Mm-hmm. I just feel sorry for everybody up there

[00:25:45] [SPEAKER_03]: It's really a terrible thing. Well into your point

[00:25:49] [SPEAKER_07]: The one of the first days after I think it was Monday or Tuesday when I was on

[00:25:54] [SPEAKER_07]: When I got on the air and I you know, I noted that this isn't like a Florida or a coastal area

[00:26:00] [SPEAKER_07]: Mentioned hurricane Floyd as a comparison where you know the whole eastern portion of the state flooded in my my sister and her now husband

[00:26:10] [SPEAKER_07]: They lost everything in Hurricane Floyd. They were out in Wilmington

[00:26:13] [SPEAKER_07]: They the her car was destroyed his car was destroyed their apartment was flooded out and her place of employment

[00:26:20] [SPEAKER_07]: they lost everything and

[00:26:22] [SPEAKER_07]: But it was it was a you know the flood waters come in

[00:26:27] [SPEAKER_07]: But they don't have the kind of force that you get with the topographical

[00:26:32] [SPEAKER_07]: Changes that you see in the mountains where the water is just pouring down and gaining velocity and speed and force as it comes

[00:26:40] [SPEAKER_07]: Down the mountain and it's just ripping out trees. It's moving boulders and like big rocks

[00:26:46] [SPEAKER_07]: And then just hurling them into people like there's and I'm I

[00:26:50] [SPEAKER_03]: Would I would guess

[00:26:53] [SPEAKER_03]: Probably half of those people are more didn't have flood insurance in the mountains

[00:26:57] [SPEAKER_03]: I don't think they would have expected this degree of damage. I just can't imagine no

[00:27:04] [SPEAKER_07]: No, they they do not in fact, I did get an email about that

[00:27:07] [SPEAKER_07]: I'll mention a second here Billy. I appreciate the call sir. Thank you. All right. Take care

[00:27:12] [SPEAKER_07]: I want to get Spiro on here before the break though

[00:27:15] [SPEAKER_07]: Spiro welcome to the show

[00:27:16] [SPEAKER_07]: Hey, how are you doing? Hey, I'm good. What's going on?

[00:27:20] [SPEAKER_02]: little quick research

[00:27:23] [SPEAKER_02]: The Chinook helicopters are being stationed here in Charlotte at National Guard Armory

[00:27:30] [SPEAKER_02]: They're flying from here to the Asheville Airport and then the items are being dispersed from there

[00:27:37] [SPEAKER_02]: Because of their size hmm

[00:27:40] [SPEAKER_07]: Right well, and that's that's I mean that's that's fine. That's if that's what's needed and that's a way to do it

[00:27:46] [SPEAKER_07]: I'm totally fine with that like I am not I'm not one to automatically

[00:27:51] [SPEAKER_07]: question

[00:27:54] [SPEAKER_07]: This kind of operation and what's being used because I'm not an expert in helicopters and stuff

[00:28:01] [SPEAKER_07]: You know emphasis on and stuff so I'm just you know

[00:28:05] [SPEAKER_07]: I just read the reports that I can read you know and so if that's the best use of that aircraft then

[00:28:11] [SPEAKER_07]: Have at it, but it also then raises other questions about why there was a

[00:28:16] [SPEAKER_07]: stiff arming of

[00:28:18] [SPEAKER_07]: Some of these smaller choppers and their pilots from running these missions

[00:28:24] [SPEAKER_07]: Over the last few days, you know

[00:28:27] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, yeah, I agree with you on that just like that gentleman from page lin right that fire chief

[00:28:33] [SPEAKER_02]: Said he would be arrested

[00:28:35] [SPEAKER_07]: Our fire chief needs to be fired. So there is an update to that story Queen City news

[00:28:41] [SPEAKER_07]: Here in Charlotte they actually got a hold of

[00:28:44] [SPEAKER_07]: the town manager and

[00:28:47] [SPEAKER_07]: The husband that was left on the side of that mountain. He did survive

[00:28:52] [SPEAKER_07]: So he actually according to the report he

[00:28:56] [SPEAKER_07]: He and his wife they're reunited

[00:28:58] [SPEAKER_07]: So this is good news

[00:28:59] [SPEAKER_07]: But after that chopper pilot was told he'd be arrested and yet to leave that guy on the side of the mountain

[00:29:04] [SPEAKER_07]: If he tried to rescue him

[00:29:07] [SPEAKER_07]: He that the guy he hiked down

[00:29:10] [SPEAKER_07]: He started going down the mountain himself alone and this guy appeared to be in his 60s or late 60s or so

[00:29:17] [SPEAKER_07]: And so he went down and he ended up stumbling upon the

[00:29:22] [SPEAKER_07]: The the fire officials that had come all the way from Michigan

[00:29:25] [SPEAKER_07]: And so he ran into them and so that's how he ended up getting off of that off of that mountain

[00:29:31] [SPEAKER_07]: So he is okay. He is reunited with his wife. So that that story ended well

[00:29:36] [SPEAKER_07]: But the town manager defended the assistant police chief

[00:29:40] [SPEAKER_07]: In that scenario saying that uh that the chopper pilot was interfering with you know, uh, their operations

[00:29:46] [SPEAKER_07]: And it could be could have been dangerous and all this other stuff. So

[00:29:50] [SPEAKER_07]: like I said, I'm

[00:29:51] [SPEAKER_07]: I will leave that for people to uh

[00:29:54] [SPEAKER_07]: To do the post mortem on the uh

[00:29:57] [SPEAKER_07]: On the response and what worked and what didn't I would submit that did not work

[00:30:01] [SPEAKER_07]: Uh spiro, thanks for the call. I appreciate it

[00:30:04] [SPEAKER_07]: So when I was a kid my grandpa died with alzheimers and before he died my mom and my dad and all of us really helped take care of them

[00:30:10] [SPEAKER_07]: As he got progressively worse

[00:30:12] [SPEAKER_07]: 40 years ago

[00:30:13] [SPEAKER_07]: There were no treatments and not much support for caregivers and family

[00:30:17] [SPEAKER_07]: Things are different today because of the work of so many people including the alzheimer's association of western north carolina

[00:30:23] [SPEAKER_07]: It's a great organization with awesome people. They've got huge hearts. I've been a supporter for like 25 years

[00:30:29] [SPEAKER_07]: This cause means a lot to me

[00:30:32] [SPEAKER_07]: I participate in the annual walk to and alzheimer's and I am leading a charlotte team this year

[00:30:37] [SPEAKER_07]: It's called pete's pack you can sign up and join the team and walk with me

[00:30:41] [SPEAKER_07]: It's on october 19th at truest field in uptown sign up at alz.org slash walk

[00:30:48] [SPEAKER_07]: And then just look for my team pete's pack and there's also a link in the podcast description here

[00:30:53] [SPEAKER_07]: Also, i'm going to be mc the gastonia walk on october 5th

[00:30:57] [SPEAKER_07]: So make a team and join us or make a donation to help me hit my goal. I would really appreciate it

[00:31:01] [SPEAKER_07]: There are a bunch of other walks around the carolinas and you can go to alz.org for all of the dates and locations

[00:31:09] [SPEAKER_07]: We are closer than ever to stopping alzheimer's

[00:31:13] [SPEAKER_07]: And if you can help us get there we would really appreciate it

[00:31:16] [SPEAKER_07]: Will you come walk with me for a different future for families for more time for treatments?

[00:31:21] [SPEAKER_07]: This is why I walk

[00:31:24] [SPEAKER_07]: All right, let me go. Oh hang on a second. I'm gonna get hang on shannon. I'm gonna get to you in a second

[00:31:28] [SPEAKER_07]: I do want to read this message on the flood insurance

[00:31:33] [SPEAKER_07]: Um

[00:31:35] [SPEAKER_07]: This was from scott

[00:31:39] [SPEAKER_07]: And I said insurance companies are quite generous

[00:31:43] [SPEAKER_07]: In provide because I was on with bow and bet this morning and uh, it was like 6 30 and I

[00:31:48] [SPEAKER_07]: He says I and I and I'm sure I did um

[00:31:51] Uh

[00:31:53] [SPEAKER_07]: About the garbage of insurance companies not covering uh floods right because they'll say well, that was our you know

[00:31:58] [SPEAKER_07]: We cover hurricanes not floods even though the flood was caused by the hurricane. They're like not our that's not part of our coverage

[00:32:04] [SPEAKER_07]: Right and I said yeah, it's garbage

[00:32:06] [SPEAKER_07]: Um insurance companies are quite generous in providing coverage under the terms of their policies

[00:32:11] [SPEAKER_07]: Oh, and by the way just for full disclosure

[00:32:13] [SPEAKER_07]: um

[00:32:13] [SPEAKER_07]: I did have a a license to sell insurance health and life

[00:32:18] [SPEAKER_07]: So I've gone through the state

[00:32:20] [SPEAKER_07]: Qualification process and the education and I got my license. I did all of that so

[00:32:24] [SPEAKER_07]: like I

[00:32:25] [SPEAKER_07]: So I do know a smidge just a little bit about it. I'm not like I'm not being sarcastic there like I only know a little bit

[00:32:31] [SPEAKER_07]: I do know a little um, all right, so I've seen uh scott says I've seen many instances where insurance companies

[00:32:38] [SPEAKER_07]: Will replace an entire roof for only minor cosmetic damage due to hail or wind

[00:32:43] [SPEAKER_07]: I've seen other situations where an insurance company pays an insured worker large sums of money for a minor injury

[00:32:50] [SPEAKER_07]: That had nothing at all to do with the hazards of the workplace. There are many such examples in other areas

[00:32:54] [SPEAKER_07]: Flood insurance is provided largely by the federal government and to a lesser extent is also provided by private insurance carriers

[00:33:01] [SPEAKER_07]: The reason flood insurance is provided by the federal government rather than private carriers is due to the fact that floods are infrequent

[00:33:09] [SPEAKER_07]: yet broadly catastrophic

[00:33:10] [SPEAKER_07]: A private insurance carrier simply cannot stockpile enough capital to remain solvent after a major flood

[00:33:19] [SPEAKER_07]: Other such perils where private insurance carriers typically can't ensure are earthquakes droughts war and terrorism

[00:33:30] [SPEAKER_07]: Uh, that is from scott

[00:33:32] [SPEAKER_07]: All right, shannon. Thank you for hanging on welcome to the program. Hello shannon

[00:33:36] [SPEAKER_05]: Hey good talk with you. Yes, sir. Thanks for calling

[00:33:40] [SPEAKER_05]: I

[00:33:41] [SPEAKER_05]: Don't don't ever like to falsely accuse

[00:33:44] [SPEAKER_05]: But uh, I honestly believe that this administration is slow walking the recovery as much as possible

[00:33:51] [SPEAKER_05]: Because of votes say this is more of a blue area. I mean a green. Uh, I'm sorry a red area

[00:33:57] [SPEAKER_05]: and um

[00:33:58] [SPEAKER_05]: it's just

[00:34:00] [SPEAKER_05]: appalling the way they leave the borders open with the

[00:34:04] [SPEAKER_05]: fentanyl and the human trafficking child trafficking

[00:34:08] [SPEAKER_05]: And they have

[00:34:10] [SPEAKER_05]: just

[00:34:12] [SPEAKER_05]: Really just done anything they could

[00:34:15] [SPEAKER_05]: with any without any regard of life and my apologies go out to those

[00:34:19] [SPEAKER_05]: Those individuals whose hearts are right with God

[00:34:22] [SPEAKER_05]: but people like to falsely accuse and and speaking of falsely accusing in the last segment

[00:34:29] [SPEAKER_05]: On on the previous show people were given Trump a hard time. He confessed to christ

[00:34:34] [SPEAKER_05]: Before the nation he confessed him as the savior that we were looking for

[00:34:39] [SPEAKER_05]: And he said that he will return for his church

[00:34:42] [SPEAKER_05]: And if people want to throw stones, they can't they better look in the mirror before they take aim

[00:34:47] [SPEAKER_07]: So on well, so on the uh, the issue of whether or not the government is slow walking the recovery efforts

[00:34:54] [SPEAKER_07]: And I assume you're talking about the federal government

[00:34:57] [SPEAKER_07]: Yes, sir. All right, um, so

[00:35:00] [SPEAKER_07]: If they were not slow walking

[00:35:04] [SPEAKER_07]: Would it look any different?

[00:35:06] [SPEAKER_05]: Well, it is very difficult that is true

[00:35:10] [SPEAKER_05]: but

[00:35:11] [SPEAKER_05]: To wait like five five days they need every hand on deck. They need every civilian every person

[00:35:19] [SPEAKER_05]: At that they can get their disposal every plane every boat every

[00:35:24] [SPEAKER_05]: motorcycle

[00:35:25] [SPEAKER_05]: this is

[00:35:27] [SPEAKER_05]: a wide spread emergency a thousand people standing

[00:35:31] [SPEAKER_07]: And they're not going to help much at all. I disagree. I know I disagree a thousand people going in will help

[00:35:39] [SPEAKER_07]: A thousand they need that just for ISIL alone. Yeah, maybe right and so that's the uh, but there's also

[00:35:46] [SPEAKER_07]: I've got a release here from the governor's office and it talks about another thousand marines are also

[00:35:53] [SPEAKER_07]: um, and you they're they're also on site so like you like

[00:35:58] [SPEAKER_07]: my my um

[00:36:01] [SPEAKER_07]: My default when when dealing with the federal government response

[00:36:06] [SPEAKER_07]: to almost anything really, um

[00:36:09] [SPEAKER_07]: is

[00:36:10] [SPEAKER_07]: it's usually

[00:36:12] [SPEAKER_07]: uh lumbering

[00:36:14] [SPEAKER_07]: dumb

[00:36:16] [SPEAKER_07]: incompetent

[00:36:17] [SPEAKER_07]: Right, like that's just how the federal government operates, which is why I'm a limited government support

[00:36:23] [SPEAKER_07]: Like I don't want government to be very big because the bigger it gets the worse it gets in that regard

[00:36:29] [SPEAKER_07]: And so I I don't know if it would look any better

[00:36:33] [SPEAKER_07]: um, if they wanted to deploy right, I mean Hawaii was a that's a blue state and

[00:36:40] [SPEAKER_07]: They didn't really respond very well to the Maui deal. But again challenging geography

[00:36:45] [SPEAKER_07]: I think people have

[00:36:47] [SPEAKER_07]: Like and I called it the other day and I've been calling it for years

[00:36:50] [SPEAKER_07]: Actually, the libertarian prophecy, which is people who like we the libertarians keep telling people do not rely on the government

[00:36:56] [SPEAKER_07]: To come save you for this stuff after Katrina like that's that's not what they're going to do

[00:37:00] [SPEAKER_07]: Um, in fact by the time they get there usually the worst of it's over

[00:37:04] [SPEAKER_07]: It's kind of like uh recessions by the time they or depressions by the time they finally start trying to pass stuff to fix it

[00:37:11] [SPEAKER_07]: It's already we're already coming out of it and usually they just make it longer. So

[00:37:15] [SPEAKER_07]: um

[00:37:17] [SPEAKER_07]: That I'm hesitant to chalk it up to mal intent

[00:37:21] [SPEAKER_07]: Uh, especially when we've got the guy that we've got in the white house right now

[00:37:24] [SPEAKER_07]: That seems to be

[00:37:26] [SPEAKER_07]: Slow to respond to everything

[00:37:29] [SPEAKER_07]: Including questions that are thrown at him from a friendly press, you know, uh, so

[00:37:34] [SPEAKER_07]: I like I'm I don't know if the people that are around him are particularly adept at responding to any of this stuff

[00:37:40] [SPEAKER_07]: Which is why uh, you know, you got to look to the state level

[00:37:45] [SPEAKER_07]: And the local level first for

[00:37:47] [SPEAKER_07]: For the emergency response. They're the ones that are actually there. They know the terrain

[00:37:51] [SPEAKER_07]: They know the people and they they know who's got what equipment and they can deploy it much more rapidly

[00:37:57] [SPEAKER_05]: Um, you know, there's a there's a lot of other examples other than just the border, but yeah

[00:38:02] [SPEAKER_05]: I'm just I've just been appalled at the

[00:38:05] [SPEAKER_05]: administration in general

[00:38:07] [SPEAKER_05]: just

[00:38:08] [SPEAKER_05]: Just doing everything they can

[00:38:12] [SPEAKER_05]: for

[00:38:13] [SPEAKER_05]: political

[00:38:15] [SPEAKER_07]: Power to prove political gain or whatever it's just right well, and I think I think that sentiment is is

[00:38:23] [SPEAKER_07]: Understandable and I appreciate the call Shannon. I think that sentiment is understandable because

[00:38:27] [SPEAKER_07]: The the trust in our institutions and government has been so eroded

[00:38:33] [SPEAKER_07]: Due to bad behavior and incompetence for decades

[00:38:37] [SPEAKER_07]: So I get it

[00:38:38] [SPEAKER_07]: I totally get it. All right, that'll do it for this episode. Thank you so much for listening

[00:38:42] [SPEAKER_07]: I could not do the show without your support and the support of the businesses that advertise on the podcast

[00:38:47] [SPEAKER_07]: So if you'd like please support them too and tell them you heard it here

[00:38:51] [SPEAKER_07]: You can also become a patron at my patreon page or go to thepcalinershow.com again

[00:38:56] [SPEAKER_07]: Thank you so much for listening and uh, don't break anything while i'm gone