Message from the Mayor - Our Deepest Gratitude! Together We Will Persevere!
Our community, along with many of our neighbors, has been devastated by the historic flooding caused by Hurricane Helene. Since September 26, 2024 our firefighters and first responders have been working tirelessly to protect the community. They began going door-to-door to evacuate residents before the hurricane’s arrival, actively rescued people during the storm, and have continued coordinating recovery efforts with Rutherford County Emergency Management as well as other national, state, and local agencies on land, water, and air.
(Photo taken by Randy Rollins Hydro-Utilities Supervisor at the Lake Lure Dam during Hurricane Helene.)
We want to express our immense gratitude to the first responders who worked so hard to evacuate those who were in harm’s way, before, during, and after the storm. Our firefighters worked in extreme conditions to help citizens get to safety and they saved lives! Thank you to the Lake Lure fire Department, the Rutherford County Emergency Management Team, the firefighters from Bills Creek, Chimney Rock, Fairfield Mountains, Forest City, Rutherfordton, and Sunny View. We also thank the Dunn Fire Station for their mutual aid.
In addition to the firefighters, we are grateful to the Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA Representatives, National Guard, the NC Forestry Service, North Carolina Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team (HART), South Carolina HART, State Fire Marshall, and the US Coast Guard who worked with the Lake Lure Fire Department/Emergency Management and local firefighters to execute the search and rescue efforts.
Our Lake Lure Police Officers have also worked diligently to protect the community and they received needed support from the North Carolina Highway Patrol and the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department, as well as the Dallas Police Department (PD), Spartanburg Sheriff’s Department, Spindale PD, and the Thomasville PD. Our Public Works and Parks, Recreation, and Lake Development staff have worked tirelessly to repair our infrastructure and remove debris from the lake. The Town of Lake Lure staff came together throughout the storm and in the following days to help inform and support our community throughout this ordeal. We thank them all for their dedicated service!
We are also thankful for the strength of our nearly 100 year old dam! The dam sustained some erosion on the left side but the repairs have already been completed. I am pleased to report that the Lake Lure Dam remains stable. The following is a quote from the Town's Dam Engineers with Schnabel Engineering following their on-site assessment on Sunday, 9/29/24:
"The dam generally performed as intended and is stable. Most of the arches overtopped, which they were designed to do during extreme floods, and the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) was subsequently activated out of an abundance of caution. The abutments did not overtop, and the concrete structure was not compromised. Some damage to the abutments and downstream area occurred, and plans are underway to repair these areas. The lake is being operated at a lower level until the repairs can be made, but there are no ongoing concerns associated with dam failure."
Many contractors have come to our aid in the days following the storm and we are grateful for their support. Thank you to AshBritt Environmental, Bettac Engineering, Edwards Landscaping, Freeman Stone Masonry & Barge Company, Innovative Industrial Services, Kimball Communications, Lake Lure Dock Company, Lake Lure Marine, Morgan Corp, Pisgah Electric, Schnable Engineering, Shields Grading, Steel Fab Inc., Stines Grading Company, and Stott Construction, Inc.
As I reflect upon the impact of the destructive flood, I am deeply moved by the resilience of our community. Community members watched out for their neighbors and took care of each other throughout the storm and the days beyond. We continue to be overwhelmed with love, support, and the countless donations. The Town set up a donation station and before we knew it these stations were established all over the Gorge. We appreciate the support of all the local churches including Cane Creek Baptist Church, Chimney Rock Baptist Church, Fairfield Mountains Chapel, Lake Lure Baptist Church, and the Temple of Jesus. In addition, we received needed support from Ridgeline Heating and Air, the Salvation Army, and the United Way.
One of the first organizations that showed up immediately following the storm was the Christian Aid Ministries (CAM) rapid response team. They came in and set up food trailers to service meals, shower trailers and restrooms with hand washing stations. They also set up two tool trailers and a team of workers who went out to help cut up fallen trees, clear debris, muck out flooded houses, put tarps on damaged roofs, and much more. Generous volunteers brought in Starlink equipment so citizens would have access to the internet and could make phone calls to their families. Charging stations were also set up so people could charge their cell phones and stay connected while they enjoyed a hot meal.
Lake Lure received immediate support from FEMA, the governor, and all of our NC elected officials. These individuals personally came and witnessed the impact of the devastating storm and took action to assist in the recovery process. They asked us what they could do to help. The Town of Lake Lure was prepared and provided them with a detailed list of our priority needs. We were well prepared with this needed information as we have been working to restore our infrastructure for several years.
The recovery process will take a very long time but the Town of Lake Lure is committed to fully rebuilding! We will work diligently to clean and restore our beloved Lake Lure. We appreciate the financial contributions that have been made and the generosity and spirit of our neighbors. Together we will persevere!
