After Hurricane Helene devastated areas of Western North Carolina, Alyssa Tilly, MD, assistant professor of medicine and pediatrics in the UNC Division of General Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, helped coordinate a field hospital to provide medical care to some of the most impacted and vulnerable residents.
“I grew up in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, which is located in Mitchell County. My parents still live there, and my dad works in neighboring Yancey County, both of which are some of the hardest hit areas” stated Dr. Alyssa Tilly.
Like many North Carolinians, Dr. Tilly, has a personal connection to the western region of the state. Following Hurricane Helene, which caused extensive flooding, destroyed roads, and buried buildings, many residents were concerned for their loved ones’ safety. Dr. Tilly traveled to her parents’ home to ensure their well-being and access to essential resources.
“I attempted to return to work after that initial weekend, but my cortisol levels were through the roof,” Dr. Tilly recalled. “I found it difficult to settle. My colleagues in palliative care were incredibly supportive, recognizing that I needed to be in Western North Carolina.”
A Field Hospital Emerges
Yancey County lacks its own hospital, making the nearest facilities in Spruce Pine or Asheville. The storm severely impacted the area, further limiting access to healthcare.
The volume of EMS calls quadrupled, with response times increasing from minutes to hours. Many individuals in need of assistance were difficult to reach due to debris and road conditions, while local urgent care centers and medical offices were flooded and without running water or sewage systems.
Within 48 hours, Amanda Watts, a local nurse with family connections to the county’s paramedic supervisor and the Burnsville Fire Chief, alongside Dr. Barron Bryant, a pediatric cardiologist who had recently returned to the area, and nurse practitioner Lauren Chriscoe collaborated to transform the Burnsville Fire Department into a field hospital. Thanks, in-part to social media, Dr. Tilly joined the team.
“Since I grew up in the area, many friends reached out on social media, tagging me in posts to let me know they needed assistance at the field hospital because they were aware of my medical background,” Dr. Tilly explained.
What began with minimal supplies and limited volunteers quickly evolved into a fully operational field hospital, with bins overflowing and a comprehensive schedule of care teams. The core group of providers including Dr. Tilly and nurse Carol Tyner established essential logistical and operational processes, including credentialing, scheduling, and deploying staff to local pop-up clinics in need. The primary objective was to alleviate the strain on area hospitals and emergency rooms. Some patients presented with traumatic injuries, were stabilized, and subsequently transported by EMS to emergency rooms, while others required medications for their chronic medical problems that had been lost in the storm, like insulin and blood pressure medications.
Over 600 individuals have signed up to volunteer their services, including Ashley Henderson, MD, a UNC pulmonologist, and Jen McEntee, MD, a UNC hospitalist.
“I had a patient return to the field hospital to tell me that Ashley Henderson had saved his life. He came in experiencing a COPD exacerbation and couldn’t believe there was a pulmonologist there,” Dr. Tilly said.
“Numerous patients shared how exceptional Jen McEntee was—how she made them feel comfortable and heard while addressing their medical needs during such a traumatic time.”
While providers were on the ground caring for patients in an area with limited connectivity, Dr. Tilly’s sister, cousin, and a family friend served as a communication base in the triangle. They organized a GoFundMe campaign to collect essential supplies, coordinated with pilots to transport medical resources, and acted as the point of contact for volunteers traveling to the area. They provided crucial information on what supplies to bring, how to access the region, and answered numerous inquiries, ensuring that support reached those in need. A local nonprofit has recently taken over coordination of the field hospital volunteers.
Dr. Tilly has returned to her role at UNC Hospitals, yet she remains committed to the ongoing needs of her hometown community.
“I essentially plan any weekend that I’m not on call, for the foreseeable future to probably be back up in the area volunteering,” Dr. Tilly said. “I just really feel connected to this field hospital and feel the need to continue to help to support it.”
“And then, honestly, my parents are incredible and have been working non-stop to support the community while also housing many of the medical volunteers, so we have done nothing to help fix up their house or property. So, I’ll be going back to help them clean things up.”