Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) launched a new webpage on her official website this week dedicated to providing resource information for Tennesseans impacted by Hurricane Helene.
Remnants of Hurricane Helene last week led to widespread damage across East Tennessee with multiple communities being destroyed by catastrophic flash flooding.
Hurricane Helene has devastated East Tennessee.
If you’ve been impacted by Hurricane Helene, you can learn more about resources that may be available to you at https://t.co/I8sjWVsad5.
Our office is standing by to help. pic.twitter.com/2jwceodpRy
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) September 30, 2024
Blackburn’s webpage, https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/helene, consists of credible information on recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene compiled from state sources.
Information regarding Missing Individuals, Property Damage, Utility Services, Shelters, Avoiding Scams, Reporting Misconduct, Volunteers Seeking to Help, Emotional Support, Price Gouging, and other recovery resources are included on the senator’s new webpage.
The rollout of Blackburn’s webpage comes days after she and other Tennessee state officials surveyed the damage in communities impacted by Hurricane Helene, as previously reported by The Tennessee Star.
On Monday, Governor Bill Lee, who also traveled to East Tennessee over the weekend to survey the damage, requested an expedited Major Disaster Declaration for Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi, and Washington counties and Public Assistance for Grainger County.
Lee’s request, if granted, would be in addition to the federal assistance that President Joe Biden authorized over the weekend by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi, and Washington counties.
The request for federal assistance comes as the Tennessee Department of Health has confirmed six weather-related fatalities – one in Knox County, one in Johnson County, three in Unicoi County, and one in Washington County.
In addition, as of Monday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has received more than 500 calls from those seeking information about individuals in East Tennessee through its new hotline, (1-800-824-3463) to coordinate reports of missing persons in the areas affected by the storm.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
