Last Updated on September 28, 2026 7:04 pm
On the second anniversary of Hurricane Helene, volunteer members of Linville-Central Rescue Squad returned to the Elk River Falls area in Avery County to continue the search for Kim Ashby, who was swept from her home by floodwaters when the Elk River surged during the storm two years ago. Ashby's body has not yet been recovered.
Monday's operation brought together squad volunteers trained in search and rescue, K9 handler teams certified in human remains detection, and members trained in swift water rescue — reflecting the range of skills the all-volunteer squad maintains for missions like this one.
The Elk River Falls area was one of many sites in Avery County reshaped by the catastrophic flooding Hurricane Helene brought to Western North Carolina in September 2024. In the hours and days following the flooding and mudslides, Linville-Central Rescue Squad members performed 16 technical evacuations, 23 swift water rescues, 54 high water evacuations, and 3 collapsed structure rescues, along with more than 1,000 welfare checks. The squad's K9 human remains detection team carried out 19 missions totaling 574 volunteer-hours, and members distributed approximately 16 tons of relief supplies in the storm's aftermath.
Linville-Central Rescue Squad asks that the community continue to keep Kim Ashby's family in their thoughts.
Linville-Central Rescue Squad is an all-volunteer, donor-supported nonprofit search and rescue organization serving Avery County. The squad holds a 100%, four-star rating from Charity Navigator, and donations supporting search and rescue equipment and training can be made through the link in the squad's Instagram bio.
