By Joanna Putman
Police1
BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. —A western North Carolina police department has released a short film featuring body camera footage, dispatch audio and 911 calls that capture the devastation of Hurricane Helene and the rescue efforts of first responders.
The 10-minute film is divided into four chapters showing different phases of police operations as the storm passed through the area.
The first chapter, documenting the night the storm hit on Sept. 26, begins by showing officers pleading with residents to evacuate their homes after being warned that a dam would fail. Videos show extremely high river water flowing at high rates of speed as vehicles, including police cruisers, try to avoid being swept away.
Chapter 2, “The Destruction,” shows cars swept on to railroad tracks, roads and bridges washed away, and debris littering the streets and bodies of water alike.
Chapter 3, “The Rescue,” begins by showing residents waving at planes carrying aid and lines of cruisers arriving to assist in rescue efforts. Law enforcement officers wearing a range of different uniforms carried stretchers, helping residents cross flowing rivers. Linemen and fire personnel also arrived to assist in rescue efforts.
Chapter 4, “Black Mountain Strong,” shows the town coming together in a meeting to thank responders who came from other areas to assist, discuss plans for moving forward and continue to distribute food and water.
“There are people who will take advantage of what’s going on in this town,” a police official says to a gathering of community members. “But there are also some amazing people. We have more volunteers than I could even imagine. And without them, we could not be where we are with the progress we have made…and we have made some progress. Black Mountain strong.”
The film concludes with a photo of a heavily damaged church with a wooden cross still standing in front of it.
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