Governor Stein Meets with Western North Carolinians in Yancey County Impacted by Hurricane Helene

NORTH CAROLINA, March 6 - Today, Governor Josh Stein joined Yancey County Sheriff Shane Hilliard to meet with local officials and North Carolinians impacted by Hurricane Helene damage in Burnsville. He also joined local firefighters to thank them for their heroic work as first responders. 

“Yancey County residents are supporting each other in inspiring ways,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Just as they are working together to recover, so must we help them rebuild schools, small businesses, and critical infrastructure. I am grateful for the General Assembly’s ongoing work to get dollars to impacted areas, while I continue to push them and Congress to allocate meaningful resources to ensure western North Carolina is not forgotten.”

In Burnsville, Governor Stein viewed damage from the South Toe River flood and stopped by the South Toe Fire Department to honor their emergency response efforts.

Since taking office, Governor Stein has prioritized getting aid out west with urgency, focus, transparency, and accountability:  

• Last month, Governor Stein requested an additional $19 billion in federal funds to restore infrastructure, support home repair and renovation, and reduce impacts from future natural disasters. Read more about Governor Stein’s continued advocacy here.
• Governor Stein continues to work with the legislature to secure state funding to address immediate needs in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, following his request for $1.07 billion. 
• This week, the Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina launched a recovery dashboard with updates, resources, and information detailing progress of Helene recovery efforts.