Public Health Emergencies Declared for North Carolina, Florida & Georgia

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared a Public Health Emergency (PHE) for North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia  to address the health impacts of Hurricane Helene. In response, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) is repositioning equipment and personnel to these states to address the potential health impacts of Hurricane Helene. As of Monday, Helene currently ranked as the third deadliest hurricane to strike the mainland United States, after Katrina, which caused at least 1,833 fatalities, and Ian, which struck southeast Florida in 2022 and caused 150 fatalities. 

More than 130 people were killed across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia due to Hurricane Helene’s destruction, which first hit Florida’s Big Bend region as a category 4 hurricane late Thursday evening. At least 35 people were killed in one North Carolina county alone due to the storm, which produced 30 inches of rain in some areas. Helene’s 120-mph winds also generated a storm surge that sent more than 5 feet of water— reaching 16 feet in some areas—along large parts of Florida’s west coast, NPR reported. In the Tampa Bay area, nine people have been reported dead as of Sunday due to rising waters or apparent drownings, and all deaths took place in a mandatory evacuation zone.

In Georgia, the stretch from Augusta to Valdosta was particularly hard hit by 100 mph winds. At least 25 people died in the states and approximately 115 structures took serious damage.

Hundreds remained missing as of Monday, and the death toll continues to rise. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is working with the US Department of Defense to set up air bridge locations to airlift supplies into storm-damaged areas not accessible by roads, a FEMA official told CNN.

The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) also has deployed approximately 200 personnel to North Carolina alone. These experts include Health Care Situational Assessment Teams which are assessing the storm’s impacts to hospitals, nursing homes, dialysis centers, and other healthcare facilities, as well as Health and Medical Task Forces and Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT) from the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) which are prepared to provide medical care.

After the Health Care Situational Assessment Teams completed assessments in Florida and Alabama, neither state requested federal public health or medical assistance. The ASPR teams currently are working with state and local officials to assess the storm-related needs of healthcare delivery systems in North Carolina. In addition, a subject matter expert from NDMS’ Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team has been activated to provide additional expertise in North Carolina.

The PHE declarations followed President Biden’s emergency declarations for Florida, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.