The Impact of Hurricane Helene: A Conversation with Mark Lien
On Monday, I spoke with my good friend and long-term industry colleague, Mark Lien, who lives in Swannanoa, North Carolina ground zero for Hurricane Helene. We discussed the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene, which has left many in the region without power and resources.
Current Situation
Mark began by sharing his current situation: “I’m sitting in the parking lot at Whole Foods right now. I’m about to go in and get some frozen food to bring back.” Although he stocked up on supplies before the storm, he has been without electricity, cell service, and Wi-Fi for over 11 days. His home, designed to be fed by a stream, provides him with a reliable water source. Additionally, he has a gas-powered generator and recently refilled his propane tanks, allowing him to generate enough power to keep his freezer running.
When I asked about power restoration, Mark explained, “I talked to the folks from Duke Energy. They sent a scout vehicle up our road to assess damages, but they don’t know how long it will take. Over half a million people were without power, but they’re down to 67,000 now.” He expressed hope that power might be restored within the week.
The Scale of Destruction
The conversation took a somber turn as Mark revealed the extent of the devastation. “I heard yesterday there were 221 people dead in six states, and a third of them are from this county. It’s just unbelievable to see cars on top of cars and houses in the river.” He described the local scene: “There’s a McDonald’s close, and there’s a semi inside the McDonald’s right now.”
Despite the destruction, Mark praised the response from government agencies. “FEMA took a couple of days to get on-site because they were organizing, but once they got here, they were incredibly helpful. The head of FEMA’s here, and I even saw President Biden and Governor Cooper doing a flyover in a helicopter.” Mark also mentioned that the FBI is on-site, assisting with facial recognition efforts to identify victims, highlighting the storm’s deadly implications.
Impact on Pets and Daily Life
As the conversation continued, I asked about his pets. Mark has two cats, which he said are a bit skittish but doing well. “They know something’s weird, but they have their food and water, so they’re okay.”
Mark shared how he has been keeping himself entertained during the power outage. “I’ve knocked out three really good novels and two nonfiction books. At nighttime, it’s dark, and we’ve got the generator off, so there’s not much you can do.”
In the business world, your humble editor has always known Mark to be well-prepared; fortunately, this preparedness also extends into his personal life.
Donate to victims of Hurricane Helene through the Red Cross.