The heart of a town’s character can be measured by how it responds to adversity. One year after Hurricane Helene, Damascus, Va., continues to show the rest of the Commonwealth how banding together through disaster can foster an unbreakable bond within the town.

APCo employees joined the Town of Damascus and its community members on Sept. 27  to celebrate Hope Floats Day: A Post-Helene Revival. The free community event was held in observance of the first anniversary of Helene and to recognize the courage and dedication of all those who have helped rebuild the town.  

Before the rains shortened the event, APCo employees celebrated with community members, giving out prizes and sharing remembrance stories of the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. External Affairs Manager Jake Holmes was one of the APCo team members who attended the festivities. Holmes, who grew up in Damascus, emphasized the importance of celebrating the town’s resilience in the face of devastation.  

“It’s amazing to see how far Damascus has come, especially when you remember the extent of the damage caused just one year ago,” Holmes said. “But that just shows the dedication of this town. When they needed each other the most, everyone came together to do what was needed. I’m proud that APCo was, and continues to be, a part of the rebuilding process.”

The impact was significant in APCo’s service area as more than 282,000 customers lost power due to the storm. The storm damaged over 3,000 unique locations, many of which were inaccessible by truck. Helicopters and other specialized equipment were used for accessing hard-to-reach areas. In some places, workers essentially rebuilt the energy grid. In just 10 days, crews restored electricity to all 282,000 customers after having installed nearly 1,500 new poles, over 200 miles of wire and more than 470 transformers.

“We will never forget the destruction Hurricane Helene caused across Appalachia,” said Aaron Walker, APCo president and chief operating officer. “The task of restoring power to so many people was daunting. We were immensely proud of our crews, who worked quickly across treacherous terrain and hazardous conditions, all while doing this work safely. The impacts from Hurricane Helene and other storm events further strengthen our commitment to making investments in our infrastructure and working to reduce extended outages for customers.”