By Sarah Roebuck
ERWIN, Tenn. — In the wake of Hurricane Helene, devastating flooding ravaged communities across the Southeastern United States.
Since the storm’s landfall on Sept. 26, hundreds of rescues have taken place. One of the notable rescues happened in Unicoi County, Tennessee, where more than 50 people were stranded on the roof of the Unicoi County Hospital.
In an interview with Chief Marc Bashoor, Ballad Health Chairman and CEO, Alan Levine, detailed the events leading up to the evacuation and eventual rescue.
“This is the worst, I think, I’ve seen in terms of devastation because of the terrain, the mountainous terrain,” Levine said.
As the water began to rise around Unicoi County Hospital on the morning of Sept. 27, Levine said staff was in the process of actively evacuating patients. But in under 20 minutes, the 10-bed inpatient hospital became surrounded by floodwaters, making it inaccessible.
The floodwater was rising so rapidly that boats could not make it across the water. Levine noted that while motorboats were able to get across the floodwaters, it became unsafe for them to return due to debris, ranging from trees to pieces of homes.
The decision was made to get everyone inside the hospital onto the roof, Levine said.
Some of the patients were unable to be moved up to the roof, so some staff members accompanied those patients onto boats. The boats were then tethered to the hospital as the water continued to rise.
Law enforcement and other government agencies collaborated with Ballad Health to initiate rescue operations. Strong winds from the storm made it difficult for helicopters to land. By early afternoon, a Virginia State Police helicopter was able to successfully land on the roof.
“I can’t even imagine how the people on the roof felt when they saw those helicopters come in, ‘cause that water was rising. I mean, it was within a few feet of the top of the building,” Levine said.
As of 4:40 p.m., Virginia State Police Aviation assets from Abingdon, Va., along with assets from Ballad Health and the Tennessee National Guard, have completed the rescue of approximately 54 people from the roof of the Unicoi County Hospital in Erwin, Tenn. pic.twitter.com/7O74lYGLnx
— VA State Police (@VSPPIO) September 27, 2024
Eventually, patients and staff who were trapped on the boats and more than 50 people who were on the roof were safely evacuated. The Virginia State Police aviation units took turns performing at least 20 rescues while helicopters from other agencies assisted in the operation.
Following the evacuation, patients were transferred to a nearby hospital. Levine said the hospital is likely a total loss.
Ballad Health is collecting donations to help their team members affected by the storm. If you would like to contribute, click here.
