As a Lahaina fire survivor, I know exactly what you folks are going through. No one was there for us for 24 hours even tho the military is 20mins away in Oahu. They could’ve saved more of our people. This will pass…I promise! We are proof 💕🙏
verizon is a multi billion dollar company. They should’ve had helicopters on site, made repairs yesterday. The government gives them the band with to use for free. They are supposed to provide the service. Helicoptering in to remote sites should be a normal cost of doing business for them. The mayor is 100% right on this being unacceptable
@@SeaBrzJo2back in the day of AT&T Long Lines microwave hops for telephone there were provisions for thousands of gallons of diesel for generators on mountaintops. It was a national security issue.
@@SeaBrzJo2 you are right, of course. My view is, multibillion dollar company’s that provide important life safety services should plan for back up power in an emergency. Once the weather settles down, should be able to get a generator, a technician and a fuel tank on top of the mountain and get that sucker functional on temp power. If you follow the science and ignore the BS, human caused Climate change is the culprit. We are not burning less fossil fuels, so the storms will only get stronger in the future. Anyway, thanks for the reply and best of luck to you
Asheville is not the epi center! Its just getting the most attention. Come on America!!! 🇺🇲🇺🇸🇺🇲 There are thousands of communities that need food, water! They are loved and they are important!!! Stand strong Americans!!!
Asheville is a liberal hole in conservative Appalachia. God's people fill Appalachia and we are connected in the Holy Spirit. My kinfolk date 400 years in Ashe & Grayson counties. Clans Osborne, Hash, Cornett, my cousins y'all are on my heart ❤ praying OUR FATHER meets your needs
Why in the hell is the US government sending money to Ukraine and Israel when the People in this Country need help on an epic level - even before the Hurricane!! People need to rise up and revolt - this is absolute BS and unacceptable!!
As a Katrina survivor..have a bigger heart.This disaster is WORSE than Katrina...Please do not give any more money to Ukraine...We need that money for alll the people that have been displaced..hey need everything !!!
Ham radio is still dependent upon repeaters to reach greater distances, which also requires power. Simplex only reaches line-of-sight. A mobile might hit 50 watts at best, but still not enough to reach greater distances. Not saying Ham is bad. It works. But Ham with some really good satellite phones is the way I would go.
Ham is obsolete. Dumb licensing, and snobby men in their 70’s policing everything. Just get an aircraft radio, and tell the pilots what’s up. They can relay.
A Garmin Rescue Satellite Messenger is a good investment for town leaders that are responsible for lives. Cell towers can only work when the electricity is out if their back-up diesel generators or their batteries aren't under water. Helene caused historic, never seen before flood levels. Invest in satellite phones and portable power stations like the Jackery 1500.
so its others peoples fault you bought a cell phone from them and relied on them for everything? If you wait around for them to fix it you might have to wait for a long time. But, and I know this doesn't sound good, if you blame yourself then you can fix it right away. Isn't that stress worth your safety?
@@wakkosick6525you are both right! Back up plans are needed for cell phone outages. Eventually everyone in the country will be slaves to these companies if you rely on them for everything.
Our constitution says no monopolies yet we’re full of them Duke power’s a great example. Since public education has gone downhill these things happen because we’ve got generations that don’t understand or don’t know the constitution and understand vocabulary words such as monopoly.
Phone companies won’t upgrade their infrastructure resilience without regulations requiring them. Towers have to be able to withstand Hurricane force winds and have Solar /battery backup to electrical lines.
What about the data cable the cellphone tower needs? Data cables normally follow the road so engineers have easy access, but when roads and bridges are gone how's your cellphone tower suppose to function without a data cable?
The worst part is that with 1990s technology, there would have been landlines that wouldn’t have gone out entirely. Praying for all these folks and the region.
@@AZsunflowerfor several houses or an area, agreed. Not region wide. When the 1989 quake happened, my uncle 2 towns over was able to call out to us on the landline before we even could get a dial tone. The point is, we need redundancies.
@@emydonavan6254 90’s tech was on the level though with phones, when landlines were around. I tried getting one last year and spectrum informed me phone companies across the US don’t even offer them anymore. Coming from an Ashevillian, Thank you for your prayers 🙌🏼
Buck Mtn VA 1971 blizzard we walked miles uphill to neighbors party line ,in order to call for RESCUE we were a family with 3 teens and a babygirl,who stayed in the primitive cabin w mom. Dad made us step in his footprints. We were not allowed to stop and rest in 2ft of snow, yes uphill all the way.
Landlines are more reliable than wireless. They maybe old school, but I would recommend having one to many individuals, especially in 911 emergencies. I am an ex wireless and wireline tech of 15 years.
Step one should be locating everyone and making sure they have food and water to survive. Step two should be emergency shelters for everyone that needs it. Part of those first two steps is Medical care for those who need it. Taking care of people is first……Then, after people are safe and fed with their medical needs taken care of comes restoring cell phone service. Once that initial emergency response is accomplished then the community can come up with a longer term plan on what to do about utilities, clean up, and getting people back into their homes. Just a suggestion.
You, sir, have had one hell of an “interesting life” as mayor these past two years. You have also risen to the challenge. My family and old friends are still under your care. Thank you for all you do. Keep pushing forward. We have faith in you.
Sadly this will show how a lot of the modern tech we have at present doesnt hoold up in disasters. As smart as we all think we are, we need to use all this to improve all things hands down.
Hey we all lost our cell phones in Katrina that’s why you need a low frequency radio for your loved ones and you so you could talk to them across the county and let others know that they’re OK
you need line of sight for 2 m. If that’s what you want, get licensed, join your local Hamm, radio club, and help support them with their repeaters. But yes, as long as you and the other radio can hit the repeater , and the repeater has got power, it’s like having a phone
Thanks WRAL because nobody has been really reporting on Canton and Haywood County, even though the water moves faster in Haywood county (Pisgah, Cruso, Bethel…)
This guy does not understand the power and scope of the disaster. This was a massive disaster, not a thing comms companies could have done to avoid this.
I was in the Blizzard of 93, there was no power for ten days, no cell phones were available at the time, but the water, we were cold, but the water and destruction. I could not conceive. God bless.
Zeb, You are a leader among men. You are more helpful than you will ever guess. Just as there is a ripple effect to the devastation, there is a ripple effect of the help you are offering. I hope you do more reporting.
I don’t know I’m looking at the governor and I’m wondering why the infrastructure is that weak because North Carolina is heavily taxed where has all those tax dollars been going?
i saw a video from a man, probably a prepper, who lives in that area detailing the devastation. Roads are basically impassable, so people are cut off from getting to food and water even if there is a store open for service. That entire area looks like it a war zone just a day after battles were fought.
I wish you could’ve asked him what organizations are doing the most around that region so we could support them. I hate to direct funds to the wrong places.
I agree 100% with the Mayor and I hear his limitations loud and clear. By comparison, The Cajun Navy seem to have harnessed the ability to provide Star Link trucks of their own anywhere within or outside of Louisiana - like they have in Sylva/Gay/Franklin. These moves are strategic and intentional to help establish comms near where your supply chain will begin. Florida has harnessed a comms ability for people to post videos of 6 foot waves crashing against their windows in 120 mph wind. It’s now time for North Carolina to harness these capabilities, as well. The tough part about all of this is that the research and development is conducted during death and destruction. So much will come of this in the future. But for now can someone please get this man a signal!!
Cell phone service restored by Tuesday. Remarkable considering the scale of the disaster. Unprecedented destrucktion over the entire western area of NC west of 77. A 600 hundred mile path of destruction from Florida to Tennessee. But im going complain about cell phone service for 20 minutes. Its bad out there. Towns are destroyed, home are lost, thousands and thousands of trees have taken out powerlines. Roads and bridges are washed out, the death toll is mounting. This man is not a leader.
There are people that have run out of drinking water, food, medicine and whatever, that they need for survival to not die. What makes everything like blocked roads all around even more urgent, is that many areas have been hit that never had a pressing reason to prepare for an apocalyptic disaster, as “fair Helen” was their first taste of it. In such a situation, people want most of all a WAY to CALL for HELP. I think the mayor is right, and yes the workers of the cellular companies are working wonder, if they can find a way in. But they had to wait until the water resides and the roads are cleared for passing. I doubt a helicopter would be a solution, as the workers require heavy truck equipment to do their work.
Sylva made it through the storm a lot better than a lot of cities around here and we are greatfull. But we need gas and supplies in our grocery stores. A lot of people have evacuated to our area and we are greatfull for that but we need our supplies replenished
WRAL, thank you so much for your efforts to report on conditions in Canton, NC. I know people in the area. I used to live in Haywood County and know exactly what Mr. Smathers and most of the commenters are talking about. Big corporations like Verizon and Duke Energy don't spend half of what they should on service infrastructure in WNC. They'd rather give their executives huge bonuses and make sure their lobbyists, federal and state, OUR representatives don't do anything like mandate proper maintenance and improvements on ALL their lines. Oh, and those shareholders are making money, too.
A few years ago, during a mega wildfire in California, Verizon was throttling the data speeds of the fire departments. This hindered the fire service's ability to conduct rapid deployment and organization of thousands of personnel and hundreds of fire engines, aircraft, and bulldozers. Verizon would not lift the throttling until the fire department paid the cell phone company more money.
I understand as a person that went through Katrina, in New Orleans citizens did not have in their homes a weeks supply of food and water. We learned you cannot rely on anyone to take care of you. It is up to each person to prepare.
Someone needs to investigate why are people who show up to help get people out of there from being trapped in people who have helicopters privately owned are told to go home not to go in and rescue people if they do they will be arrested WHY?!!!
Well, on another video some canton resident said they don’t like strangers coming in with donations or to help……that they’re just looking to be hero’s . 😳
This has put into my mind how important having a week's worth of batteries, candles and propane tanks for my camp stove and non perishables I should have. My Lord, where is the help?
Hurricane Gloria back in the day on Long Island we were without power for two weeks,plus all the damage, unless you have lived it, you just can’t imagine Prayers for everyone 🙏
What is very ironic is that all those people moving to NC and TN to avoid paying taxes in the North Eastern States, and all those local people who very frequently rail against big government, are calling for government handouts and government assistance now. I plan to bring supplies to the people of NC, but I am doing that because of my value set, I do not rely on government for assistance. Now the scope and severity of the damage from this storm necessitates major government intervention, however, those taxes you are asked to pay do go into infrastructure. As a general rule, taxes are much lower across the Southern states, making them a favorable destination for many retirees, but those states also have the poorest educational systems, highest percentage of their populations living in poverty, highest crimes rates, poorest infrastructure, lacks regulations and zoning codes which allow construction and development that is inappropriate given the risks in the area and predispose to future loss. Add into that most southern states are particularly vulnerable to storm damage, and you have a big problem.
This Mayor needs reflection. Get Ham radios. Walkie Talkies. Cell phones weren't around for major disasters before. He needs to get an Emergency Response Team to pre stage.
"I demand cell phone service." You "demand" cell phone service??! This is an act of God and more are coming--to heck with "proper cell phone service". SMH.
Verizon is a multi billion dollar company. They should’ve had helicopters on site, made repairs yesterday. The government gives them the band with to use for free. They are supposed to provide the service. Helicoptering in to remote sites should be a simple normal cost of doing business for them. Protect the corporations if you want, but the billionaires really don’t need your protection.
Another one of my predictions seems to be panning out. For years I’ve been altering people to the fact that it’s a bad idea to be depreciating copper phone lines, as they’re a critical in an emergency. That has proven to be true many times, but Helene may be the most extreme example. In 2005 with Katrina most people still had a real phone line at home (at least as a backup)-but now very few do. And even if they have one, phone companies that used to provide 48-hr backup generators in all their switching stations now may provide 1-2 hrs at best (just batteries, as they’ve removed the diesel generators.) So it’s all been designed to make people more reliant on cellular technology (or at least VoIP lines that require the internet.) With that being the case, an unprecedented number of people in affected areas are without a reliable means of communication.
So why doesn't every town have a few satellite phones? I think he wants to blame someone for a natural disaster when as mayor he could have bought such equipment. Ham radios also work for this I think. Prayers to all affected.
Some people believe that government of the people for the people must perish however patriots know better. The federal government will help. Your and our tax dollars at work. May God watch over the good folk impacted by this tragedy and help them rebuild their lives and communities into far more robust versions capable of surviving massive weather catastrophe events in the future - sadly - highly likely. Amen. 🙏
America is just not the America most people want to believe that it is. That is the problem. We've been lied to about everything. Everything we've been told/taught is a cover story for something else. Something much more wicked. 😤
Heavy hearts & lots of love from Southern California ~ May God Speed ~ Unprecedented destruction ~ May everything that can be done Be Done ~ 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 God Bless You ~. Eliza ~ Southern California ~ Same Country ~ Same Love & Caring for Americans under Duress 💜💜💜💜🍃💜
TY. I have 9 miles to go to reach my kin. we've been in these hills for 191 years. they used ham radio to tell me what med supplies/water/food they need. there are A LOT missing. copters can't land in the yards of my kin but they could in Waynesville. THE PASSWORD FOR STAR LINK IS GO NC!!! There is a way in on foot via Unicoi or AT. DO NOT ATTEMPT IF U R NOT AN EXPERT HIKER. Apparently, the Nat Guard only has 1 life raft and 1 paddle bc my kin can see them down in the water using their hunting scopes. MY KIN ARE TECH IN NC BUT FOR SOME REASON WANT THE GOV OF TENN HEAD ON A STAKE.
If the cell service being out is unacceptable.What is your recommendation to not let this happen again Mr.Mayor? And while your at it what can be done to stop the power from going out? 🤔
Please tell churches what to do and where to go. Top ten things you need. Please give instructions for local churches in the 200 mile area where to go and what to do.
They've asked people not to try to go or get thru..the best effort is to donate or find a local organization to donate to that is trucking in with 18 wheelers to drop points where there's helicopters to drop supplies!!
Telecommunications companies are overloaded and can't recover in the same way that normal services like power can. That's in part due to the fact that even if you got some of them back on the towers would be absolutely overloaded with people in the area. So the smarter thing once again is to prerpare by revitalizing copper infrastructure. Even pay phones--long derided as irrelevent, should be maintained (even if it's just a few per sqaure mile) as you never know when something like this will come in handy.
Right? How are cell phone companies supposed to get in equipment to access their towers and the large parts needed to be transported in to repair or rebuild Towers while that equipment is needed to clear roads and search for people?
I need help finding my brother in Maggie valley. Are the roads open there. I have a truckload of supplies to bring in to help him and the neighbors. His name is Vaughn Swartz lives on Jonathan creek fox run neighborhood. Can I get an update on that area. Also can I bring in supplies. Thank you! 🙏🙏🙏
To say that cell pH service is the optimal in a situation like this only carries so much weight!! Its like saying if the bridges hadn't give way we could reach people..if the trees hadn't blocked the roads we could get in!! If the electric company was more efficient in their provision we'd have service!! my suggestion to you as Mayor would be for everyone in your district to purchase satellite able cell phones and to acquire a starlink system for your Town!! Unfortunately none of these forgone systems has ever held the task to stand up to mother nature!! I do pray you get provisions!!! I actually lived in Canton a few years ago...a beautiful little village but still with a mountain texture of intellect ❤
Your news has shown the world what is going on everywhere all towns . National guards need to be brought in to set up emergency cell service. Their are people possibly dying from this slow response. God bless you all.
What I find disgraceful is that city elements do not have SatCom for Emergency, blaming cell service when the cell towers are blown down well placing blame on some one else.
We MUST elect someone next month who - unlike Trump - actually believes in climate change, or we will see more and more of these terrible events coming closer and closer together. Harris/Walz are willing to tackle this issue and have plans set to go to do so. Voting blue up and down the ticket will give them the backing needed to get 'er done. My prayers are with everyone suffering now because of the storm(s) this week across America.
Exactly! "I demand cell phone service." You "demand" cell phone service??! This is an act of God and more are coming--to heck with "proper cell phone service". SMH.
The leadership should seize the opportunity to improve the resources. If cellular phones are inadequate then look at alternatives. This was a test run.....a horrible one but don't let it go to waste....improve our emergency response capabilities
I find this complaint about cell service a little hollow. I mean how can the cell companies guarantee their services any better than the mayor can guarantee that all the roads will be serviceable?? That he goes on to make a snide comment about his Verizon bill further proves my point.
I agree. I thought I was the only one who found his (rather long) rant about cell service unnecessary, and deflecting from his own responsibility as, Oh, I don't know...MAYOR?! He was asked a question about the conditions in Canton and relief efforts, etc. What he gave was a personally vindictive tirade that only sounds whiny and irresponsible. Guess what? Cell service providers are privately owned, not public utilities (which I really wouldn't have a problem with). They're only in it for profit, not the public good. Why don't you, as a politician, draft some proposals to provide for just such emergencies as this? Infuriating.
In FL , contact your county property appraiser office ASAP so you know what is required to get an assessment adjustment. This is FL law. Those in GA, SC, NC, TN & VA need to see if anything similar will help them. (Or if there is some type of extension to their tax payment due date)
Just proves Mother Nature will always have the upper hand over technology. If the infrastructure is destroyed, how can you expect life as usual? Perhaps there is a better way, but to lay blame on one company at this point seems to be non-productive.
Use your insights from the past to make your future better. Get through today and plan for tomorrow, and the day after until you can get to the next year.
So there’s some resident in this town just saying they don’t want strangers in there town to help. He says people coming there with donations just looking to be hero’s and nothing more. Curious, what the mayor thinks of that 🤔 Cuz I am sure other areas will appreciate the help.
God bless Zeb Smathers, the Mayor of Canton, NC. He is a true leader who never gives up. It is very sad to see how we in WNC are being treated at a time we so need help and respect. Thank God for President Trump, Franklin Graham and Elon Musk. Where are Biden and Harris?
If it were 1990's technology, you would have service. Satellite. We have a version of that today. Starlink and wifi calling. You can't blame the cellular companies. You can't blame anyone for this storm. Nobody was ready for something like this. If there were public Starlink systems, people could have wifi calling. Get a bunch of Starlink and solar flown in everywhere. There is your communication.
Oh yeah we can blame geo-engineering on this storm's enhancement. It was a cat 3. But then, I'm no scientist. Just a boat captain who's observed gulf storms as if my life depends on 'em. That's where science begins: observation. Helene was artificially amplified.
So I'm to understand that NC has many "Sundown towns" and one of them just hung a black man and the family can't anybody from that town to cooperate.....Fast forward, "GOD" washed the sin's from his earth.🙏
“The law included a $65 billion investment to ensure all Americans can access affordable, reliable, and high-speed internet - Internet for All.” MAY 13, 2022. THEY HAVE’NT DONE NOTHING!!!
The infrastructure of our country needs updated. Railroads, technology, utilities... All of these could have been updated with the funds our country spent on funding wars. Ukraine, etc.
I have family in Jackson County, yes SYLVA, no phone service, no internet ... and they work from home. They are focused on food and water right now ... oh, and helping people in Asheville. Sylva had several trucks in town today accepting donations for anything extra folks have ... that they can send to Asheville. Sis says Walmart shelves are more bare than during covid; and, they're the only ones accepting cards ... and in a week or two, the food situation may be even worse. Some areas it already is!!! The local and regional attempts to share news and info on radio and iHeart ... is helping ... And a channel out of Franklin ... 105.1 is reaching them. Thank you all for pulling together and advocating for ALL of Western NC ... and please, help find the missing and get meds, oxygen and water to those in need. Thank you!
it's time we abolish property taxes, which is just forcing the people into slavery and extortion-ism. Not to mention if the local area meets an influx of people moving to your area you may be forced to sell your familial home because you can no longer pay the taxes on what should be your own property.
In Florida, those with hurricane damage should contact their county property appraiser office as soon as they possibly can because they will need to know what is required to get a change in their assessment. This is FL law. I do not know about GA, SC, NC, TN, VA.
As a Lahaina fire survivor, I know exactly what you folks are going through. No one was there for us for 24 hours even tho the military is 20mins away in Oahu. They could’ve saved more of our people. This will pass…I promise! We are proof 💕🙏
🙏✝️
hugs ❤God Bless You thanks
Strength and Prayer 😊❤😊
It's been 4 days, no one is coming, except power companies in a week or so to reestablish business
God bless all the people in north Carolina ,and get all the help you guys need .so sad .I love you all .
verizon is a multi billion dollar company. They should’ve had helicopters on site, made repairs yesterday. The government gives them the band with to use for free. They are supposed to provide the service. Helicoptering in to remote sites should be a normal cost of doing business for them.
The mayor is 100% right on this being unacceptable
Same when we had hurricane Michael- Verizon did not have cell towers replaced for more than a month
Not excusing the cellular provider, but the towers will not operate unless they’re connected to electricity. Often that’s the culprit.
@@SeaBrzJo2back in the day of AT&T Long Lines microwave hops for telephone there were provisions for thousands of gallons of diesel for generators on mountaintops. It was a national security issue.
@@SeaBrzJo2 you are right, of course. My view is, multibillion dollar company’s that provide important life safety services should plan for back up power in an emergency.
Once the weather settles down, should be able to get a generator, a technician and a fuel tank on top of the mountain and get that sucker functional on temp power.
If you follow the science and ignore the BS, human caused Climate change is the culprit.
We are not burning less fossil fuels, so the storms will only get stronger in the future.
Anyway, thanks for the reply and best of luck to you
@@techguy9023 I’m guessing that was before the big corporations owned the Congress.
Ryan Hall ya’ll sending as many star links as he can to the area!
I figured Ryan Hall would be doing whatever he could. Good man!
❤ Ryan Hall
He does so much better than the Hearst news media outlets.
Asheville is not the epi center! Its just getting the most attention. Come on America!!! 🇺🇲🇺🇸🇺🇲 There are thousands of communities that need food, water! They are loved and they are important!!! Stand strong Americans!!!
@@JudyGoodwin-l9b Biltmore village, Biltmore Estate Anderson Cooper (Vanderbilt) hub for human traffickers. Vast networks of tunnels
Asheville is a liberal hole in conservative Appalachia. God's people fill Appalachia and we are connected in the Holy Spirit. My kinfolk date 400 years in Ashe & Grayson counties. Clans Osborne, Hash, Cornett, my cousins y'all are on my heart ❤ praying OUR FATHER meets your needs
Don't most mountain home have wells? They need fuel for their bumps.
Why in the hell is the US government sending money to Ukraine and Israel when the People in this Country need help on an epic level - even before the Hurricane!! People need to rise up and revolt - this is absolute BS and unacceptable!!
As a Katrina survivor..have a bigger heart.This disaster is WORSE than Katrina...Please do not give any more money to Ukraine...We need that money for alll the people that have been displaced..hey need everything !!!
ham radio's could and should be used in a disaster...they're far superior than a cell tower...
Ham radio is still dependent upon repeaters to reach greater distances, which also requires power. Simplex only reaches line-of-sight. A mobile might hit 50 watts at best, but still not enough to reach greater distances. Not saying Ham is bad. It works. But Ham with some really good satellite phones is the way I would go.
Average citizens don't know about & can't use ham.
People may need to get ham radio licenses again
Ham is obsolete. Dumb licensing, and snobby men in their 70’s policing everything. Just get an aircraft radio, and tell the pilots what’s up. They can relay.
A Garmin Rescue Satellite Messenger is a good investment for town leaders that are responsible for lives. Cell towers can only work when the electricity is out if their back-up diesel generators or their batteries aren't under water. Helene caused historic, never seen before flood levels. Invest in satellite phones and portable power stations like the Jackery 1500.
The government should not have allowed these telecommunications monopolies to form.
so its others peoples fault you bought a cell phone from them and relied on them for everything? If you wait around for them to fix it you might have to wait for a long time. But, and I know this doesn't sound good, if you blame yourself then you can fix it right away. Isn't that stress worth your safety?
@@wakkosick6525you are both right! Back up plans are needed for cell phone outages. Eventually everyone in the country will be slaves to these companies if you rely on them for everything.
Att was a monopoly too. Yet landlines are still working. Did you ditch yours?
@@cosmothewonderdog8602landlines are now wifi
Our constitution says no monopolies yet we’re full of them Duke power’s a great example. Since public education has gone downhill these things happen because we’ve got generations that don’t understand or don’t know the constitution and understand vocabulary words such as monopoly.
Praying for your recovery North Carolina God bless and keep you during these hard times.
Phone companies won’t upgrade their infrastructure resilience without regulations requiring them. Towers have to be able to withstand Hurricane force winds and have Solar /battery backup to electrical lines.
They are wind resistant and have backup generators.
It is not the towers and they have satellite with iphones
I hear Joe Biden say all the time he has sent internet access to rural America. I guess the soup cans didn’t work like intended.
What about the data cable the cellphone tower needs?
Data cables normally follow the road so engineers have easy access, but when roads and bridges are gone how's your cellphone tower suppose to function without a data cable?
Sure on our backs. Internet and phones are already outrageously expensive.
The worst part is that with 1990s technology, there would have been landlines that wouldn’t have gone out entirely. Praying for all these folks and the region.
Land lines used to go out all the time!
@@AZsunflowerfor several houses or an area, agreed. Not region wide. When the 1989 quake happened, my uncle 2 towns over was able to call out to us on the landline before we even could get a dial tone. The point is, we need redundancies.
@@emydonavan6254 90’s tech was on the level though with phones, when landlines were around. I tried getting one last year and spectrum informed me phone companies across the US don’t even offer them anymore. Coming from an Ashevillian, Thank you for your prayers 🙌🏼
Buck Mtn VA 1971 blizzard we walked miles uphill to neighbors party line ,in order to call for RESCUE we were a family with 3 teens and a babygirl,who stayed in the primitive cabin w mom. Dad made us step in his footprints. We were not allowed to stop and rest in 2ft of snow, yes uphill all the way.
Landlines are more reliable than wireless. They maybe old school, but I would recommend having one to many individuals, especially in 911 emergencies. I am an ex wireless and wireline tech of 15 years.
Step one should be locating everyone and making sure they have food and water to survive. Step two should be emergency shelters for everyone that needs it. Part of those first two steps is Medical care for those who need it. Taking care of people is first……Then, after people are safe and fed with their medical needs taken care of comes restoring cell phone service. Once that initial emergency response is accomplished then the community can come up with a longer term plan on what to do about utilities, clean up, and getting people back into their homes. Just a suggestion.
You, sir, have had one hell of an “interesting life” as mayor these past two years. You have also risen to the challenge. My family and old friends are still under your care. Thank you for all you do. Keep pushing forward. We have faith in you.
Sadly this will show how a lot of the modern tech we have at present doesnt hoold up in disasters. As smart as we all think we are, we need to use all this to improve all things hands down.
incredibly less people die in natural disasters since modern communications and tech than did before
@@BOSmith1958 - Lahaina Hawaii proved it
Hey we all lost our cell phones in Katrina that’s why you need a low frequency radio for your loved ones and you so you could talk to them across the county and let others know that they’re OK
@@Callacman1234 I think it's a bit harder in the mountains.
@@sittingonarivergood point.
Do you mean like a walkie talkie,?
Like Nextel
you need line of sight for 2 m. If that’s what you want, get licensed, join your local Hamm, radio club, and help support them with their repeaters.
But yes, as long as you and the other radio can hit the repeater , and the repeater has got power, it’s like having a phone
Thanks WRAL because nobody has been really reporting on Canton and Haywood County, even though the water moves faster in Haywood county (Pisgah, Cruso, Bethel…)
This guy does not understand the power and scope of the disaster. This was a massive disaster, not a thing comms companies could have done to avoid this.
people not being allowed to build or live in areas with even a remote chance of flooding is the only way this type disaster could be avoided
Exactly
@@joejones9520 then it’s mars.
AT&T has one job at my house....to keep my landline operational. It was literally the last service to return, four days after the hurricane. Fail.
@@stormyweather2807 it’s all about me me me me me me
Lifting prayer and sending money and supplies through our church here in Wilmington NC. ❤
I was in the Blizzard of 93, there was no power for ten days, no cell phones were available at the time, but the water, we were cold, but the water and destruction. I could not conceive. God bless.
Zeb, You are a leader among men. You are more helpful than you will ever guess. Just as there is a ripple effect to the devastation, there is a ripple effect of the help you are offering. I hope you do more reporting.
Help is on the way! Ryan Hall y’all sending star links to the area!!
All I can do is donate. So that's what I've done. God bless you, sir.
I don’t know I’m looking at the governor and I’m wondering why the infrastructure is that weak because North Carolina is heavily taxed where has all those tax dollars been going?
i saw a video from a man, probably a prepper, who lives in that area detailing the devastation. Roads are basically impassable, so people are cut off from getting to food and water even if there is a store open for service. That entire area looks like it a war zone just a day after battles were fought.
Thank you for looking out for my friend and her family who is in your town.
I wish you could’ve asked him what organizations are doing the most around that region so we could support them. I hate to direct funds to the wrong places.
This is ridiculous. We were told it would be unprecedented and devastating days before it happened.
And so, who told you? Did you evacuate from the Blue Ridge Mountains?
I agree 100% with the Mayor and I hear his limitations loud and clear. By comparison, The Cajun Navy seem to have harnessed the ability to provide Star Link trucks of their own anywhere within or outside of Louisiana - like they have in Sylva/Gay/Franklin. These moves are strategic and intentional to help establish comms near where your supply chain will begin. Florida has harnessed a comms ability for people to post videos of 6 foot waves crashing against their windows in 120 mph wind. It’s now time for North Carolina to harness these capabilities, as well. The tough part about all of this is that the research and development is conducted during death and destruction. So much will come of this in the future. But for now can someone please get this man a signal!!
"Yes... And prayer" Lord have mercy on them. 🙏❤️
Most cell phone companies don't offer SAT phones (satellite). They are a must for disaster situations.
Cell phone service restored by Tuesday. Remarkable considering the scale of the disaster. Unprecedented destrucktion over the entire western area of NC west of 77. A 600 hundred mile path of destruction from Florida to Tennessee. But im going complain about cell phone service for 20 minutes. Its bad out there. Towns are destroyed, home are lost, thousands and thousands of trees have taken out powerlines. Roads and bridges are washed out, the death toll is mounting. This man is not a leader.
DARREN, I agree. People died and this guy is whining about his phone. He needs to get some perspective.
There are people that have run out of drinking water, food, medicine and whatever, that they need for survival to not die. What makes everything like blocked roads all around even more urgent, is that many areas have been hit that never had a pressing reason to prepare for an apocalyptic disaster, as “fair Helen” was their first taste of it. In such a situation, people want most of all a WAY to CALL for HELP. I think the mayor is right, and yes the workers of the cellular companies are working wonder, if they can find a way in. But they had to wait until the water resides and the roads are cleared for passing. I doubt a helicopter would be a solution, as the workers require heavy truck equipment to do their work.
Agreed.
@@nancyd.6191because without phones no one knows where the people they need to rescue are
The word apocalyptic is very important..god be with all you people that going through this🙏❤️
It is misleading. Hurricanes are made by weather, not anything else. Biblical does not mean God did it.
Blessings and a speedy recovery for Canton and its residents.
Said a prayer for the missing to be found, one way or another.
Hope you all have joy and peace again soon.
Sylva made it through the storm a lot better than a lot of cities around here and we are greatfull. But we need gas and supplies in our grocery stores. A lot of people have evacuated to our area and we are greatfull for that but we need our supplies replenished
WRAL, thank you so much for your efforts to report on conditions in Canton, NC. I know people in the area. I used to live in Haywood County and know exactly what Mr. Smathers and most of the commenters are talking about. Big corporations like Verizon and Duke Energy don't spend half of what they should on service infrastructure in WNC. They'd rather give their executives huge bonuses and make sure their lobbyists, federal and state, OUR representatives don't do anything like mandate proper maintenance and improvements on ALL their lines. Oh, and those shareholders are making money, too.
Our county of Haywood is devastated. Prayers to all those who have lost loved ones.
A few years ago, during a mega wildfire in California, Verizon was throttling the data speeds of the fire departments. This hindered the fire service's ability to conduct rapid deployment and organization of thousands of personnel and hundreds of fire engines, aircraft, and bulldozers. Verizon would not lift the throttling until the fire department paid the cell phone company more money.
Incredible
Thats greed,one of the 7 sins.😮
I understand as a person that went through Katrina, in New Orleans citizens did not have in their homes a weeks supply of food and water. We learned you cannot rely on anyone to take care of you. It is up to each person to prepare.
Someone needs to investigate why are people who show up to help get people out of there from being trapped in people who have helicopters privately owned are told to go home not to go in and rescue people if they do they will be arrested WHY?!!!
Well, on another video some canton resident said they don’t like strangers coming in with donations or to help……that they’re just looking to be hero’s . 😳
Coastal mid-Atlantic states are praying for ya'll.
Help is on the way.
💔🙏🏾 My friend is missing out there. Deepest prayers, please 🙏🏾
This has put into my mind how important having a week's worth of batteries, candles and propane tanks for my camp stove and non perishables I should have. My Lord, where is the help?
Hurricane Gloria back in the day on Long Island we were without power for two weeks,plus all the damage, unless you have lived it, you just can’t imagine
Prayers for everyone 🙏
What is very ironic is that all those people moving to NC and TN to avoid paying taxes in the North Eastern States, and all those local people who very frequently rail against big government, are calling for government handouts and government assistance now. I plan to bring supplies to the people of NC, but I am doing that because of my value set, I do not rely on government for assistance. Now the scope and severity of the damage from this storm necessitates major government intervention, however, those taxes you are asked to pay do go into infrastructure. As a general rule, taxes are much lower across the Southern states, making them a favorable destination for many retirees, but those states also have the poorest educational systems, highest percentage of their populations living in poverty, highest crimes rates, poorest infrastructure, lacks regulations and zoning codes which allow construction and development that is inappropriate given the risks in the area and predispose to future loss. Add into that most southern states are particularly vulnerable to storm damage, and you have a big problem.
My sister lives in Canton. She was able to get out. What is the best way to help ? May God bless you and keep you
Help your sister
I received my Verizon bill to. In fact they have included Oct bill which is not due until October 21st. No phone or text for 4 days!😡
This Mayor needs reflection. Get Ham radios. Walkie Talkies. Cell phones weren't around for major disasters before. He needs to get an Emergency Response Team to pre stage.
It's 2024, people don't keep those anymore. You need reflection why you're salty about cellphones being popular when people are dying.
Has this gentleman asked for the help. The federal help
"I demand cell phone service." You "demand" cell phone service??! This is an act of God and more are coming--to heck with "proper cell phone service". SMH.
This is an act of man global warming.
Verizon is a multi billion dollar company. They should’ve had helicopters on site, made repairs yesterday. The government gives them the band with to use for free. They are supposed to provide the service. Helicoptering in to remote sites should be a simple normal cost of doing business for them.
Protect the corporations if you want, but the billionaires really don’t need your protection.
Another one of my predictions seems to be panning out. For years I’ve been altering people to the fact that it’s a bad idea to be depreciating copper phone lines, as they’re a critical in an emergency. That has proven to be true many times, but Helene may be the most extreme example.
In 2005 with Katrina most people still had a real phone line at home (at least as a backup)-but now very few do. And even if they have one, phone companies that used to provide 48-hr backup generators in all their switching stations now may provide 1-2 hrs at best (just batteries, as they’ve removed the diesel generators.)
So it’s all been designed to make people more reliant on cellular technology (or at least VoIP lines that require the internet.) With that being the case, an unprecedented number of people in affected areas are without a reliable means of communication.
So why doesn't every town have a few satellite phones? I think he wants to blame someone for a natural disaster when as mayor he could have bought such equipment. Ham radios also work for this I think. Prayers to all affected.
Some/many of those small Mtn towns probably don’t have the budget for Sat phones. Tax base is pretty slim in many places of Appalachia.
Everyone should have military grade walkie talkie..They do better in situations like this.
Dump Spectrum they are useless. Need Fiber-optics.
Fiber got washed away.
Couldn't agree with you more
Floods and other disasters will break fiber also. 😂
Starlink is the only way to go
So sad for Pisgah Bears
Some people believe that government of the people for the people must perish however patriots know better. The federal government will help. Your and our tax dollars at work. May God watch over the good folk impacted by this tragedy and help them rebuild their lives and communities into far more robust versions capable of surviving massive weather catastrophe events in the future - sadly - highly likely. Amen. 🙏
This man speaks the truth. This is just another example of how unprepared America really is and the whole sees it😢
America is just not the America most people want to believe that it is. That is the problem. We've been lied to about everything. Everything we've been told/taught is a cover story for something else. Something much more wicked. 😤
I’m just learning all the towns.Im so sorry.
Heavy hearts & lots of love from Southern California ~ May God Speed ~ Unprecedented destruction ~ May everything that can be done Be Done ~ 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
God Bless You ~.
Eliza ~ Southern California ~ Same Country ~ Same Love & Caring for Americans under Duress 💜💜💜💜🍃💜
TY. I have 9 miles to go to reach my kin. we've been in these hills for 191 years. they used ham radio to tell me what med supplies/water/food they need. there are A LOT missing.
copters can't land in the yards of my kin but they could in Waynesville. THE PASSWORD FOR STAR LINK IS GO NC!!!
There is a way in on foot via Unicoi or AT. DO NOT ATTEMPT IF U R NOT AN EXPERT HIKER.
Apparently, the Nat Guard only has 1 life raft and 1 paddle bc my kin can see them down in the water using their hunting scopes.
MY KIN ARE TECH IN NC BUT FOR SOME REASON WANT THE GOV OF TENN HEAD ON A STAKE.
If the cell service being out is unacceptable.What is your recommendation to not let this happen again Mr.Mayor? And while your at it what can be done to stop the power from going out? 🤔
Please tell churches what to do and where to go. Top ten things you need. Please give instructions for local churches in the 200 mile area where to go and what to do.
Zev. Our little church from Harrisburg are caravanning up to WNC. Can we reach you? How is the best route to travel? Where do we go? God bless you.
they’re asking people not to go to the area right now
They've asked people not to try to go or get thru..the best effort is to donate or find a local organization to donate to that is trucking in with 18 wheelers to drop points where there's helicopters to drop supplies!!
Whose fault is it that people depend on the service of cellular phone
Telecommunications companies are overloaded and can't recover in the same way that normal services like power can. That's in part due to the fact that even if you got some of them back on the towers would be absolutely overloaded with people in the area. So the smarter thing once again is to prerpare by revitalizing copper infrastructure. Even pay phones--long derided as irrelevent, should be maintained (even if it's just a few per sqaure mile) as you never know when something like this will come in handy.
Exactly!
Right? How are cell phone companies supposed to get in equipment to access their towers and the large parts needed to be transported in to repair or rebuild Towers while that equipment is needed to clear roads and search for people?
I need help finding my brother in Maggie valley. Are the roads open there. I have a truckload of supplies to bring in to help him and the neighbors. His name is Vaughn Swartz lives on Jonathan creek fox run neighborhood. Can I get an update on that area. Also can I bring in supplies. Thank you! 🙏🙏🙏
@@heidiswartz9131 Im from JCreek, you should be good if you come from 40.
To say that cell pH service is the optimal in a situation like this only carries so much weight!! Its like saying if the bridges hadn't give way we could reach people..if the trees hadn't blocked the roads we could get in!! If the electric company was more efficient in their provision we'd have service!! my suggestion to you as Mayor would be for everyone in your district to purchase satellite able cell phones and to acquire a starlink system for your Town!!
Unfortunately none of these forgone systems has ever held the task to stand up to mother nature!! I do pray you get provisions!!!
I actually lived in Canton a few years ago...a beautiful little village but still with a mountain texture of intellect ❤
Your news has shown the world what is going on everywhere all towns . National guards need to be brought in to set up emergency cell service. Their are people possibly dying from this slow response. God bless you all.
The media is focused on Asheville but I am seeing many other smaller towns are in ruins.
There should be emergency plan in place for the what ifs. But most towns dont have budgets to have the best technology.
Keep your chin up Mr Mayor. You're doing the best you can with what you got.
I guess if they make all cars mandatory electric, and no gas stoves allowed, things would be even worse.
I really do not think I want to know if my people are dead or missing. Do not think my heart could take it.
What I find disgraceful is that city elements do not have SatCom for Emergency, blaming cell service when the cell towers are blown down well placing blame on some one else.
We MUST elect someone next month who - unlike Trump - actually believes in climate change, or we will see more and more of these terrible events coming closer and closer together. Harris/Walz are willing to tackle this issue and have plans set to go to do so. Voting blue up and down the ticket will give them the backing needed to get 'er done. My prayers are with everyone suffering now because of the storm(s) this week across America.
🤦🏻 we're doomed!
The hyper focus on cell service is strange Water is focus.
Exactly! "I demand cell phone service." You "demand" cell phone service??! This is an act of God and more are coming--to heck with "proper cell phone service". SMH.
If you’ve got no COMM, how do you know who needs water?
@@solarwind907who wouldn’t need water?
@@lovemesomeslippers water caused all this
@@solarwind907 Everyone needs water
The leadership should seize the opportunity to improve the resources. If cellular phones are inadequate then look at alternatives. This was a test run.....a horrible one but don't let it go to waste....improve our emergency response capabilities
I find this complaint about cell service a little hollow. I mean how can the cell companies guarantee their services any better than the mayor can guarantee that all the roads will be serviceable?? That he goes on to make a snide comment about his Verizon bill further proves my point.
I agree. I thought I was the only one who found his (rather long) rant about cell service unnecessary, and deflecting from his own responsibility as, Oh, I don't know...MAYOR?! He was asked a question about the conditions in Canton and relief efforts, etc. What he gave was a personally vindictive tirade that only sounds whiny and irresponsible.
Guess what? Cell service providers are privately owned, not public utilities (which I really wouldn't have a problem with). They're only in it for profit, not the public good. Why don't you, as a politician, draft some proposals to provide for just such emergencies as this?
Infuriating.
Listen to everything Zeb says about communications. The same thing happened with Katrina in 1985. When will we every learn, when will we ever learn.
*2005
My iPhone 15 has satellite capability for these situations!
I live in upstate SC, and I still have no cell service
In FL , contact your county property appraiser office ASAP so you know what is required to get an assessment adjustment. This is FL law. Those in GA, SC, NC, TN & VA need to see if anything similar will help them. (Or if there is some type of extension to their tax payment due date)
Just proves Mother Nature will always have the upper hand over technology. If the infrastructure is destroyed, how can you expect life as usual? Perhaps there is a better way, but to lay blame on one company at this point seems to be non-productive.
Use your insights from the past to make your future better. Get through today and plan for tomorrow, and the day after until you can get to the next year.
My buddy just rebuilt his house after’21, it’s completely gone now 😢
Someone anyone should get a report out of lake lure..we understand they're actually keeping repoters out because of the unimaginable damage!!
Supposedly Elon is donating starlink satellites....
Sending love too all y’all UP THERE, I saw a post that Clyde got some power back…
So there’s some resident in this town just saying they don’t want strangers in there town to help. He says people coming there with donations just looking to be hero’s and nothing more. Curious, what the mayor thinks of that 🤔 Cuz I am sure other areas will appreciate the help.
What politicians could have done!
Hope my friend and his family Daniel Burbank and his family are all okay ✅
God bless Zeb Smathers, the Mayor of Canton, NC. He is a true leader who never gives up. It is very sad to see how we in WNC are being treated at a time we so need help and respect. Thank God for President Trump, Franklin Graham and Elon Musk. Where are Biden and Harris?
Yeah right go bears
Land grab for lithium mining. Sad😢
Contrails❌ Weather warfare✅
If it were 1990's technology, you would have service. Satellite. We have a version of that today. Starlink and wifi calling. You can't blame the cellular companies. You can't blame anyone for this storm. Nobody was ready for something like this. If there were public Starlink systems, people could have wifi calling. Get a bunch of Starlink and solar flown in everywhere. There is your communication.
Oh yeah we can blame geo-engineering on this storm's enhancement. It was a cat 3. But then, I'm no scientist. Just a boat captain who's observed gulf storms as if my life depends on 'em. That's where science begins: observation. Helene was artificially amplified.
Starlink.
If you got the money and electricity to power it, you’re 100% right
So I'm to understand that NC has many "Sundown towns" and one of them just hung a black man and the family can't anybody from that town to cooperate.....Fast forward, "GOD" washed the sin's from his earth.🙏
@@FCK312 Amen!!!!
By now, the cell phone probably needs to be recharged and still isn't going to be useful.
“The law included a $65 billion investment to ensure all Americans can access affordable, reliable, and high-speed internet - Internet for All.” MAY 13, 2022. THEY HAVE’NT DONE NOTHING!!!
The infrastructure of our country needs updated. Railroads, technology, utilities... All of these could have been updated with the funds our country spent on funding wars. Ukraine, etc.
If you had an iPhone then you have satellite phone service
Donald, Braxton Canton NC check-in
Is the National Guard making supply drops? They can and should use their big choppers to bring in water and food.
They already are. This is going to take some time, even with tens of thousands of people working around the clock.
@@Jake-rs9nq yeah I saw a WRAL interview with the mayor of Canton, NC and they talked about it. Good to see.
I have family in Jackson County, yes SYLVA, no phone service, no internet ... and they work from home. They are focused on food and water right now ... oh, and helping people in Asheville. Sylva had several trucks in town today accepting donations for anything extra folks have ... that they can send to Asheville. Sis says Walmart shelves are more bare than during covid; and, they're the only ones accepting cards ... and in a week or two, the food situation may be even worse. Some areas it already is!!! The local and regional attempts to share news and info on radio and iHeart ... is helping ... And a channel out of Franklin ... 105.1 is reaching them. Thank you all for pulling together and advocating for ALL of Western NC ... and please, help find the missing and get meds, oxygen and water to those in need. Thank you!
Mayor is working hard to get those property tax bills out.
it's time we abolish property taxes, which is just forcing the people into slavery and extortion-ism. Not to mention if the local area meets an influx of people moving to your area you may be forced to sell your familial home because you can no longer pay the taxes on what should be your own property.
And if Trump was still president none of this would have happened, amirite there robby boy.
In Florida, those with hurricane damage should contact their county property appraiser office as soon as they possibly can because they will need to know what is required to get a change in their assessment. This is FL law. I do not know about GA, SC, NC, TN, VA.