In the months following Hurricane Helene’s devastating impact across western North Carolina, one constant has remained rock solid amid a sea of rotating deployments: John Fay.
For 257 days, John has served as a cornerstone of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers emergency operations team, providing leadership and continuity in a mission marked by change. As a zone manager for the Private Property Debris Removal (PPDR) mission, he has guided hundreds of USACE personnel in and out of the temporary field office. While most deployments last 30 days bringing a steady supply of new faces and fresh energy, John’s endurance and dedication has remained a steady hand through it all.
Lt. Col. Loftin, Commander of the Recovery Field Office said, “After almost 260 days on the ground, John has more than earned his trip home. His leadership and dedication through every phase of Hurricane Helene recovery in western North Carolina have been a driving force behind the mission, and he’ll be missed out here.”
Never seeking the spotlight, John’s coworkers quickly learned that behind his quiet, no-nonsense demeanor is a responder genuinely committed to the people and the mission. Known for his approachable leadership style and dry sense of humor, John fosters a sense of calm and camaraderie, even on the most demanding of days. Behind John’s gruff exterior lies his true motivations: “I do this because I enjoy helping people. I may look grumpy, mean, and old, but I love helping people.”
John’s contributions have helped drive critical progress in the USACE Private Property Debris Removal mission, efforts that have cleared the path of recovery, renewal, and hope for thousands of flood survivors. His leadership has provided stability and reassurance during one of western North Carolina’s most challenging chapters.
As the PPDR mission begins to wind down, projected to conclude in late summer, many responders are beginning to phase out following months of intensive work. To date, USACE has cleared nearly 7.5 million cubic yards of PPDR, Right of Way, and Waterway debris from 16 counties across western North Carolina. That’s enough to cover a football field with nearly 3,000 feet of flood wreckage. USACE continues to filter roughly 10 million gallons per day of mountain lake water for treatment plants supplying safe drinking water for nearly 180,000 Buncombe County residents. Additionally, the Army Corps is constructing critical public facilities, such as Chimney Rock’s wastewater treatment plant and Canton’s temporary fire station.
Reflecting on nearly 37 weeks in western North Carolina before returning to Kentucky, John said, "What I’ll remember most are the people we helped. You can see the strength of a community when a disaster happens. Western North Carolina showed me just how strong they are and I’m just glad I could be a part of that.”
| Date Taken: | 06.16.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.16.2025 15:15 |
| Story ID: | 500726 |
| Location: | ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, U.S. Army Corps responder returns home after 257 days of Hurricane Helene duty, by Kaylee Wendt, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
