Full Notification

Hurricane Helene Resilience & Reflection Ceremony 9/27/25
McDowell County, in partnership with the City of Marion and the Town of Old Fort, invites the community to a Resilience and Reflection Ceremony marking the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene on Saturday, September 27th starting at 9:30 a.m. The ceremony will take place at Old Fort Elementary located at 128 South Mauney Ave. in Old Fort. Join us as we honor the strength and resilience of our community, remember the lives forever changed, and look ahead with hope and unity.

NC State Private Road and Bridge Repair Interest Form Deadline August 31, 2025
NC Private Road and Bridge Program will be closing the initial interest form August 31st. If you have not submitted an interest form and have a private road or bridge needing repair, please visit our website ncdps.gov/Helene/PRB or call 844-746-2326. This program is designed to assist property owners in Western North Carolina who have sustained damage to private roads or bridges. State officials are working to secure additional funding and expedite services. McDowell County residents with eligible damages are encouraged to submit their interest.

Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program Interest Form Now Open
The McDowell County Soil and Water team is seeking assistance from the public to document damage to stream banks resulting from Tropical Storm Helene. This information will be reviewed for eligibility for the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program, which assists landowners with repairing stream bank damage that is threatening the safety of their property as a result of a natural disaster. This information will be used to assist in collecting consolidated impact information and will be provided to other State and Federal agencies as they assess the damage.  Visit www.mcdowellgov.com/helene and click on "Emergency Watershed Protection" to learn access the interest form.

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) Accepting Applications
The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) is a valuable opportunity for McDowell County residents who experienced damage from Helene, especially those whose homes flooded. This program offers funding to help make homes more resilient against future disasters, including projects like elevating homes above the 100-year flood elevation to prevent repeat flooding. Participation is completely voluntary, and there is no cost to homeowners, as the program is fully funded by FEMA and the state. If your home flooded and you are interested in exploring ways to safeguard it from future events, we encourage you to consider applying for this program. Visit www.mcdowellgov.com/helene and click on "Hazard Mitigation" to learn more.