Every Autumn for the last decade or so, my area received hurricane warnings. In most cases, the major threat resolved before reaching us. I don’t want to minimize the property damage and lives lost in previous storms, but in my area, it usually made for some windy mornings and a bit of rain.
Knowing this, and with similar news reports, most people didn’t give Helene a second thought. School was canceled because it is always canceled when these storms come through. Buses can’t travel if the winds are too high, but again, this is usually a minor inconvenience.
At worst, I expected to lose power for a few hours or maybe a day. Instead, Hurricane Helene tore through with surprising devastation.
I’m one of the lucky ones. I lost power, but my home is mostly untouched. As I write this now, over 150 people are dead. Others are stranded and running out of supplies. Entire cities were wiped away.
How It Started
I always wake up early. The storm was already beating against my house, but I didn’t pay much attention. The day was about e-learning with my students and catching up on grading. (E-learning is basically when the kids work from home due to inclement weather. I usually answer questions via e-mail.)
I made breakfast, homemade protein pancakes, and turkey bacon, and just as I booted up my computer, the power went out. I shrugged and went to the porch to get a better look at the storm.
It was still pitch black, but it was like stepping into, well, a hurricane. Still, it was just the usual, right?
I didn’t truly understand how bad things were until my friend called for help. Her gazebo was trying to fly away. As I drove to her house, destruction was all around me. Trees, snapped in two, blocked both of my usual exits.
Wind and water blinded me as I drove, the windshield wiper barely able to keep up. Every path I took was blocked by trees, some ripped out from the roots.
Once I made it out of my neighborhood, power lines snaked across the road. Black traffic lights swung so ferociously from their ropes that I was sure one would smash into my car.
Luckily, my friend isn’t far away. After being forced to take another alternate path due to another downed tree, I made it to her yard. Her driveway was also blocked by a snapped tree that managed to take down a powerline and smash a truck before landing.
We were able to cut the canopy off of her gazebo to take away its wings and make it back into the house without too many problems.
However, it was clear this wasn’t just another downgraded hurricane.
Nevertheless, the wind slowed and by noon the sun was shining down and wondering why everyone was so shaken.
When I made my way home, my luck became obvious. Homes were damaged. My neighbor's house was completely crushed. Everyone made it out, but they stood outside for hours looking up at their home in shock and confusion.
I’ve spent the following days eating mostly protein cereal. I ran out of fruit quickly and I realized there are downsides to cooking regularly. Grocery stores were closed. Restaurants were hard to find and required waiting for hours. Lines for gas ran down the street, creating unavoidable conflicts.
One store owner said he pretended he was out of gas because he was having too many fights at the pump. Although there are always selfish people in these situations, most people did come together to help their neighbors.
For example, my school started giving out free food for children in need. I spent multiple hours in the school to gain access to power and the internet. Some teachers brought their entire families and even spent the night there.
Could Have Been Worse
I was lucky.
Hundreds of people are still missing. The stories I’ve heard are heartbreaking. One family stranded on their roof drowned when it collapsed. The flood swept away others. Trees, one of the most beautiful aspects of nature, crushed so many people. I don’t think I will ever look at a tree the same way again.
Even post-storm, people are still dying. We have had multiple car accidents despite the warnings. With no street lights, it is even more difficult to predict the traffic’s movements. One woman in her late 70s, desperate for food, finally ventured out. She passed away from the wreck. I’ve also heard stories of people as young as 17 dying from storm-related wrecks.
Jordan Siedhom, a former head of narcotics and pilot, used his helicoptor to save stranded people. He went through the correct channels but was still threatened with arrest.
Siedhom flies with his teenage son and co-pilot, but when they spot a stranded couple on their crumbling driveway, he leaves his son to lighten the weight of the helicopter to decrease the chance of destroying the driveway on takeoff.
The plan was to fly the wife the three minutes to medical support and then pick up the other survivor and his son. Instead, Siedhom was threatened with arrest by the firechief/captain when he landed.
Even though Siedhom went through the proper channels, he was told he did not have jurisdiction. The captain sent men to rescue the survivors on foot. According to the captain, Siedhom would be arrested even if he returned with his son.
Siedhom partially ignored this. He flew to pick up his son and told the man they could not fly the three minutes to get him to his wife. The man was forced to wait hours for help.
The next day the flying restrictions were lifted and Siedhom went back to helping people. He regrets not helping more, saying if he could do it over, he would continue until they arrested him.
Law and procedure do not equate to morality or good. This is difficult for some people to understand, but maybe this example makes it more apparent. People are suffering and dying, and this captain chose to stop someone with a long list of experience and credentials from helping those in need.
I’ve heard this captain described as a monster. I don’t know if this is true, but if given the choice again, I hope he makes the correct one.
It is hard for me to write about anything else right now. I heard this storm is being downplayed in the news cycle; I’m not sure if this is true. Our governor claims we were prepared, but the power of the storm was unpredicted and unprecedented in our area.
If people aren’t hearing about this storm, it was bad. It is still bad. People are dead and missing. Towns are gone. If you would like to help, you can donate to my area here, or check out other charities here.
This post originally appeared on Medium and is edited and republished with author's permission. Read more of LG Ware's work on Medium.