Updated Report
On September 27, a dramatic rescue operation unfolded as 54 individuals were airlifted from the roof of Unicoi County Hospital in Erwin, Tennessee, following severe flooding caused by Tropical Storm Helene.
Virginia State Police concluded the rescue around 4:45 p.m., deploying two helicopters to assist in the evacuation of approximately 40 to 45 people, according to spokesperson Matt Demlein. Additional rescue teams from other agencies helped evacuate the remaining patients and hospital staff.
Unicoi County Sheriff Mike Hensley described the scene as chaotic, with helicopters from various regions landing on the hospital roof as floodwaters surged, rendering boats ineffective for access. “It was chaotic. We couldn’t get to them in boats; we had high winds and water rushing around the hospital. I thank God the hospital held. I was waiting for it to collapse,” Hensley remarked.
The rescue effort included National Guard units and police helicopters from both Virginia and Tennessee, including three Blackhawk helicopters from Knoxville. All individuals rescued were subsequently transferred to other medical facilities for treatment. The Unicoi County Hospital will remain closed until further notice.
“The major problem is trying to access some of these rural areas,” Hensley told Knox News. “We’re cut off from the south end of the county now. We’re cut off from deputies on the south part who can’t come back home. But that’s a good thing they’re there.”
Erwin Police Department Lieutenant Patrick Bennett described the scene during the evacuation as surreal, with only the howling winds audible over the rising water. “Water was coming up so high; there was nothing we could do,” he said.
As the storm progressed, conditions shifted rapidly from what appeared to be a normal day. Bennett recounted how the water rose within minutes, prompting rescue teams to prioritize evacuating critically ill patients first.
In the aftermath of the rescue, residents of Unicoi County gathered near the hospital to witness the overwhelming sight of floodwaters and debris. County Clerk Patty Treadway expressed her disbelief at the transformation of the landscape, noting, “It’s unbelievable. It’s something I’ve never seen before, and I’ve lived here my whole life.”
Due to the swift onset of flooding, ambulances were unable to reach the hospital, prompting the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency to coordinate with local agencies to deploy rescue boats. However, rapidly rising waters both around and within the hospital hindered safe evacuation, as Ballad noted. Helicopter rescues were also impeded by high winds.
By 12:27 p.m., 54 individuals had taken refuge on the hospital roof, with seven additional people stranded in rescue boats. Ballad described the situation as extremely perilous, urging the community to pray for those at Unicoi County Hospital, first responders, and military personnel involved in the rescue.
MedicOne Medical Response, an emergency rescue service, shared Facetime footage from a former employee trapped on the hospital roof, depicting patients and staff surrounded by water. In another video, the arrival of the first rescue helicopter was captured.
Unicoi County Hospital, located about 100 miles east of Knoxville and Pigeon Forge, has been heavily affected by the flooding resulting from Tropical Storm Helene, which has downgraded from hurricane status but continues to cause widespread disruption across the Southeast.
The situation in the region worsened further as the downtown area of Newport, approximately 60 miles west of Unicoi, was evacuated following a “catastrophic failure” of the Walters Dam near Waterville, North Carolina, earlier that day.
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