When Hurricane Helene swept across Southwest Virginia in late September, it left a wake of destruction. Communities in the region will continue to recover and rebuild for quite some time, and AmeriCorps NCCC is supporting these efforts. The AmeriCorps NCCC River 4 Team was originally focused on fire mitigation efforts with Pulaski County Emergency Management as the hurricane approached. Their service included establishing fire lines between state park property and privately owned residential communities, such as the Bear Drive community just outside of Claytor Lake State Park. As Hurricane Helene continued its destruction, the team sheltered in place for safety. Once the storm had passed, it was clear that there was severe flooding in the area and the Hiwassee and Allisonia communities in Pulaski County were no exception. The AmeriCorps NCCC River 4 Team quickly pivoted to flood recovery work.
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