JACKIE. THANK YOU. LANEY, WE WANT TO LISTEN IN TO GOVERNOR ROY COOPER DISCUSSING HOW LEADERS IN OUR STATE ARE HANDLING IMPACTS FROM HELENE. LET’S LISTEN IN. THIS IS ONE OF THE WORST STORMS IN MODERN HISTORY FOR PARTS OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. THE END OF THE RAIN IS NOT THE END OF THE THREAT. THIS FIERCE STORM WILL MOVE OUT OF OUR STATE IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS, BUT THE DANGER WILL NOT BE OVER. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS THAT BORDER ON HURRICANE STRENGTH ARE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW ACROSS WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. TREES ARE FALLING, CAUSING WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES AS OF THIS MORNING, THERE ARE OVER 879,000 ESTIMATED POWER OUTAGES ACROSS OUR STATE. WE’RE ALSO CURRENTLY AWARE OF 290 CLOSED ROADS FOR THE PEOPLE IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. DO NOT TRAVEL UNLESS THERE IS AN EMERGENCY BECAUSE CONDITIONS ARE CONTINUING TO WORSEN. PEOPLE IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA SHOULD CONSIDER ALL ROADS CLOSED UNLESS YOU ARE SEEKING HIGHER GROUND. FOR MUCH OF OUR STATE, THERE’S ALSO THE CONTINUED POTENTIAL FOR TORNADOES WITH THE STORM SYSTEM. THEY CAN QUICKLY SPIN UP WITH LITTLE WARNING. I URGE PEOPLE TO STAY INFORMED, LISTEN TO LOCAL RADIO, TV AND LOCAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE OFFICIALS. SADLY, OUR HEARTS ARE HEAVY AS WE REPORT TWO DEATHS, ONE IN CATAWBA COUNTY DUE TO A MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISION ON A FLOODED ROADWAY AND ONE IN CHARLOTTE DUE TO A TREE FALLING ON A HOME. THERE WILL BE MORE. AS WE KNOW THIS STORM IS CONTINUING ACROSS OUR STATE. WE ARE WORKING TO TRY TO PREVENT AS MANY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, AND IN ALL PARTS OF OUR STATE WHERE THERE IS FLOODING. REMEMBER, DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH FLOOD WATERS AS I’VE SAID SO MANY TIMES, WE’VE LOST TO MANY NORTH CAROLINIANS WHO’VE DRIVEN INTO FLOOD WATERS. SO TURN AROUND. DON’T DROWN THE STATE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM’S EFFORTS WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH LOCAL OFFICIALS AND SUPPORT IMPACTED COMMUNITIES TODAY AND THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND. OUR STATE SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS ARE BEING ASSISTED FROM TEAMS FROM MORE THAN A DOZEN OTHER STATES, AND I’M DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR WORK TO SAVE LIVES. CURRENTLY, WE ARE AWARE OF OVER 100 SWIFT WATER RESCUES SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS EVENT, BUT WE KNOW THERE WILL BE MANY MORE. OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM HERE AND IN COUNTIES ACROSS THE STATE ARE CONTINUING TO DEPLOY RESOURCES STRATEGICALLY TO SAVE LIVES AND TO STRENGTHEN THE RESPONSE FOR COUNTIES AND CITIES. NUMEROUS EVACUATIONS HAVE BEEN ORDERED IN AREAS LIKELY TO FLOOD. IF YOU’RE TOLD TO EVACUATE, PLEASE GET OUT OF THE DANGER ZONE. THERE ARE ABOUT 15 SHELTERS AVAILABLE AND MORE WILL BE ADDED. KEEP YOURSELF INFORMED AS WE BEAR THE BRUNT OF THE STORM TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILIES. WE KNOW NORTH CAROLINIANS ARE STRONG AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS ARE THE BEST IN THE NATION. I’M THANKFUL FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND FOR RISKING THEIR LIVES TO PROTECT ALL NORTH CAROLINIANS. TODAY I’M JOINED BY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR WILL RAY, OUR SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY. EDDIE BUFFALO, THE ADJUTANT GENERAL OF THE NORTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD, MAJOR GENERAL TODD HUNT, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION CHRIS PEOPLES, THE COMMANDER OF THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE HIGHWAY PATROL. COLONEL FREDDIE JOHNSON, FEMA FIELD COORDINATING OFFICER. CRAIG LEVY, OUR SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS ARE BRIAN TIPTON AND BEHIND THE SCENES, OUR SPANISH LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS OR JASMINE METIVIER AND ERIKA KUGLER. AT THIS TIME, I’LL ASK DIRECTOR WRAY FOR HIS UPDATE. WILL. THANK YOU, GOVERNOR COOPER COOPER, AND GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. NORTH CAROLINA IS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING THE IMPACTS OF HELENE, WHICH WILL CONTINUE INTO SATURDAY. AS WE SAID YESTERDAY, NORTH CAROLINIANS SHOULD REMAIN INFORMED, HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY, AND SHOULD TAKE THIS STORM SERIOUSLY. THE STATE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM REMAINS FULLY ACTIVATED TODAY, AND OUR OPERATIONAL PRIORITY CONTINUES TO BE ON SUPPORTING OUR IMPACTED LOCAL JURISDICTIONS ACROSS THE STATE. WE CONTINUE TO HAVE OUR PUBLIC SECTOR PRIVATE SECTOR AND NONPROFITS AND VOLUNTEER AGENCIES HERE AT THE EOC AND WORKING IN COMMUNITY COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE. SINCE YESTERDAY, WE HAVE SEEN LIFE THREATENING FLASH FLOODING, LANDSLIDES AND DOWNED TREES, PRIMARILY ACROSS THE FOOTHILLS AND MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA. AREAS OF OUR STATE, PARTICULARLY IN THE WEST, HAVE SEEN IMMENSE RAINFALL TOTALS ALREADY AS WE GO INTO THIS AFTERNOON, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE RAINFALL ACROSS THE STATE WITH WEATHER CONDITIONS IMPROVING OVER THE COURSE OF THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THERE REMAINS A SEVERE WEATHER THREAT TO CENTRAL AND EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA, WHERE TORNADOES AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED. FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU ARE INFORMED THAT YOU HAVE A PLAN OF ACTION TO QUICKLY EVACUATE. IF NECESSARY, AND THAT YOU ARE RECEIVING INFORMATION FROM RELIABLE SOURCES SUCH AS LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICES AND THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. WITH SUCH SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL, WATER LEVELS AND FLOODING IN THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS CAN RAPIDLY CHANGE AND CAN CREATE A SUBSTANTIAL THREAT TO LIFE. MANY COUNTIES IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA HAVE ORDERED EVACUATIONS TO SAVE LIVES. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT ALL RESIDENTS IN EVACUATION ZONES PLEASE LEAVE AND MOVE TO A SAFER LOCATION. PLEASE AVOID TRAVELING IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, PARTICULARLY IN THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL, PLEASE VISIT DRIVE AND SEAGROVE TO CHECK ROADWAY STATUS. THIS WEBSITE IS UPDATED REGULARLY BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. AS OF THIS MORNING. AS THE GOVERNOR SAID, THERE ARE OVER 290 ROADWAYS THAT ARE CLOSED IN OUR STATE FROM IMPACTS OF BOTH HELENE AS WELL AS PTC. EIGHT LAST WEEK. I WANT TO THANK OUR PARTNERS IN THE NORTH CAROLINA DOT FOR THEIR CONTINUED HARD WORK TO BLOCK ROADWAYS, TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC, AND FOR CONTINUING TO QUICKLY CLEAR ROADWAYS WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO. FURTHER, THE DOT IS ADVISING NORTH CAROLINIANS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, PARTICULARLY TO SEEK HIGHER GROUND AND SHELTER IN PLACE AND AS THE GOVERNOR SAID, DO NOT TRAVEL UNLESS THERE IS AN EMERGENCY. EMERGENCY PERSONNEL AND RESCUERS SHOULD BE THE ONLY ONES ON THE ROADWAYS AS WELL AS OUR INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERS, AS WE MOVE INTO POWER. POWER RESTORATION EFFORTS DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH STANDING WATER, DO NOT DRIVE AROUND BARRICADES AND ROAD CLOSED SIGNS. THEY ARE THERE TO PROTECT YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES. THERE ARE CURRENTLY 25 COUNTY AND 43 MUNICIPAL STATES OF EMERGENCY DECLARED. THE STATE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM IS SUPPORTING NUMEROUS SHELTER OPERATIONS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA COMMUNITIES. ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL TO ASSIST WITH SHELTERING ARE BEING BROUGHT IN FROM UNIMPACTED AREAS OF THE STATE OR FROM OTHER STATES OUTSIDE OF NORTH CAROLINA. 14 LOCAL SHELTERS HAVE BEEN OPENED IN MULTIPLE COUNTIES, AND FOR UPDATED SHELTER INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT REDI, NC DOT GOV. OUR PARTNERS IN THE NORTH CAROLINA OFFICE OF EMS HAVE DEPLOYED AMBULANCE BUSSES, ADDITIONAL EMS UNITS AND ADDITIONAL MEDICAL PERSONNEL TO ASSIST IN SHELTERING OPERATIONS AND TO SUPPORT HEALTH CARE FACILITIES. THIS WILL ALSO CONTINUE POST IMPACT. THERE HAVE BEEN RESCUES MADE AND THE RESPONSE TO SWIFT WATER INCIDENTS IS ONGOING ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AS OF THIS MORNING. BY MEMBERS OF OUR NORTH CAROLINA FIRST RESPONDER AND SEARCH AND RESCUE COMMUNITY, THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER HAS DEPLOYED 30 SWIFT WATER RESCUE TEAMS AND ADDED ADDITIONAL SWIFT WATER RESCUE TEAMS FROM NEW YORK, INDIANA, ILLINOIS, OKLAHOMA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, DELAWARE AND MICHIGAN. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO FIVE URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS DEPLOYED TO ASSIST WITH ANY STRUCTURAL COLLAPSES THAT OCCUR. FEMA HAS DEPLOYED FOUR SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS, AND WE ARE REQUESTING ADDITIONAL TEAMS AT THIS TIME AS WELL AS SOME POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE US COAST GUARD, THE NORTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD HAS DEPLOYED OVER 350 NATIONAL GUARDSMEN AND 131 VEHICLES TO INCLUDE HIGH WATER VEHICLES AND AVIATION ASSETS TO ASSIST IN THE EVENT AND ARE ADDING TO THOSE NUMBERS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. TODAY, THE THE LOGISTICS BRANCH HAS ASSISTED COUNTIES AND RESPONSE PARTNERS WITH DEPLOYMENT OF MEALS, WATER, TARPS AND OTHER COMMODITIES AND SUPPLIES. AS WE HAVE CONTINUED TO STATE FLOODING MAY OCCUR OUTSIDE OF AREAS THAT NORMALLY FLOOD WITH THE FORECASTED RAINFALL TOTALS, WE ARE SEEING, PLEASE STAY SAFE TODAY. CHECK ON YOUR NEIGHBORS AND THOSE IN YOUR COMMUNITY WHO NEED ASSISTANCE AND TAKE PROTECTIVE ACTIONS WHEN DIRECTED BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO DO SO DURING A DISASTER OR MAJOR EVENT. WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER AND MAKE FOR MORE RESILIENT COMMUNITIES. FINALLY, I’D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE DEDICATED AND BRAVE FIRST RESPONDERS AND MEMBERS OF THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMUNITY WHO ARE ANSWERING NORTH CAROLINA’S CALL AND WORKING TO SAVE LIVES IN YOUR COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE. THANK YOU, GOVERNOR. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR RAY. I’VE ACTIVATED ADDITIONAL NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS TO HELP WITH THIS. AND SO I’M GOING TO ASK ADJUTANT GENERAL OF THE NORTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD, MAJOR GENERAL TODD HUNT, FOR HIS UPDATE. THANK YOU, GOVERNOR, AND BEFORE I GET STARTED, I’M GOING TO GIVE A QUICK UPDATE ON WHAT THE GUARD IS DOING. BUT ADDITIONALLY, I WANT TO THANK THE GUARDIANS OF THE GREAT STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA FOR ANSWERING THE CALL. THANK THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES DURING THIS TIME OF CRISIS. OUR CURRENT STATUS FOR OUR FOOTPRINT IS WE ARE LOCATED IN THE FOLLOWING CITIES ASHEVILLE. WE’VE BEEN IN ASHEVILLE FOR OVER A DAY NOW, PROVIDING SUPPORT LAST NIGHT CHARLOTTE MORGANTON CONCORD WITH ADDITIONAL UNITS WE HAVE IN BURLINGTON GREENSBORO AND ROCKINGHAM. THOSE UNITS ARE READY TO MOVE FORWARD WHEN THE WEATHER PERMITS. LIKE WAS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, WE HAVE 385 SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN ON DUTY WITH 131 VEHICLES. WE HAVE 13 AIRCRAFT READY TO DEPLOY WHEN THE WEATHER BREAKS, AND WE ALSO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. IF REQUIRED FROM OTHER STATES, MARYLAND AND CONNECTICUT. OUR VEHICLES THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW ARE MAINLY HIGH WATER TYPE VEHICLES, VEHICLES AND PALLETIZED VEHICLES THAT CAN PRODUCE COMMAND COMMODITIES AND BRING COMMODITIES TO THE AFFECTED AREAS. WE ARE ALSO GOING TO AUGMENT FORESTRY WITH SOME CHAINSAW AND DEBRIS REMOVAL TEAMS AS WE MOVE THROUGHOUT THE STORM. AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK OUR GUARDSMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES FOR PROTECTING THIS GREAT STATE AND JUST HAVE YOUR PRAYERS WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE OUT THERE TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GOVERNOR. THANK YOU. GENERAL HUNT. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WORKING TODAY. WE KNOW THAT FAMILIES ARE STILL IN DANGER. PEOPLE AT THIS EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER WILL BE WORKING. WE’LL BE WORKING UNTIL WE GET THROUGH THIS THING. WE’LL TAKE QUESTIONS NOW, IF YOU GUYS CAN MOVE TO THE MICS OVER HERE, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO ASK ONE. LAURA LESLIE, WRAL, A QUESTION FOR THE D.O.T. ABOUT THE THE EXTENT OF OF ROAD OUTAGES, ROAD CLOSURES, OUTAGES AND HOW HOW IS 40. LOOKING OUT WEST FOR EXAMPLE. AND WHAT ARE THE MAJOR TROUBLE SPOTS FOR TRANSPORTATION? WE HAVE 290 ROADS CLOSED RIGHT NOW, BUT MORE OF THEM ARE CLOSING AS WE SPEAK, PARTICULARLY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. BUT PEOPLES, I’LL LET YOU COME FORWARD AND ANSWER. THANK YOU, GOVERNOR. SO RIGHT NOW WE KNOW OF AT LEAST FOUR SPOTS ON I-40 THAT ARE THE ROADWAYS CLOSED, THE TOP OF OLD FORT MOUNTAIN. WE HAVE A SLIDE THAT’S COVERED ALL FOUR LANES. SO THE ROADS CLOSED. THERE. THERE’S ALSO HIGH WATER IN LOCATIONS AT SEVERAL OTHER SPOTS ON I-40. I-26 IS ALSO FLOODED AT TWO LOCATIONS MILE MARKER 55 AND MILE MARKER 38. US. 74 AT I-40 IS COMPLETELY UNDERWATER. SO THERE’S THERE’S MANY, MANY OTHER LOCATIONS. AND THIS IS A RAPIDLY CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCE. SO AGAIN, I’D JUST LIKE TO ECHO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON’T HAVE TO DRIVE, PLEASE DON’T. YEAH. THEY’RE HERE ONLINE. YES. GO TO OUR ONLINE QUESTION. OUR FIRST QUESTION THIS MORNING IS GOING TO BE FROM LAURA LEE WITH BLUE RIDGE PUBLIC RADIO. LAURA, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO ASK YOUR QUESTION. GOOD MORNING, GOVERNOR. WE HEARD IN THE BRIEFING THIS MORNING FROM BUNCOMBE COUNTY OFFICIALS THAT. WERE NOT ABLE TO RESPOND TO. WE’VE HEARD REPORTS OF PEOPLE CALLING 911 AND NOT GETTING ANY RESPONSE. IS THERE STATE ASSISTANCE COMING FOR THAT? AND WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY CALL AND NOT GETTING ANY RESPONSE? YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THE PEOPLE IN NORTH CAROLINA, IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, SOME OF THEM ARE FACING GREAT DANGER FROM THE FLOODING AT THIS POINT. AND EMERGENCY RESPONDERS CAN SOMETIMES BE PROHIBITED FROM