Town of Boone

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FROM THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

Dear Town of Boone residents, community members, and friends,

The Town of Boone and its partners are working diligently to provide access and safety to all
residents. We want to thank our first responders for their around-the-clock work in providing
safety and security to Town of Boone residents. We also want to thank Blue Ridge Energy, New
River Light and Power, and other utility providers for their continued efforts. Furthermore, we
want to thank the Governor’s Office, Congresswoman Foxx’s Office, House Representative
Pickett, and Senator Hise for their support.

We are aware that members of our community still need critical services. We assure you that we
are working diligently to provide the resources, safety, and peace of mind that you deserve. This
is a very challenging time for our community as a whole, and your continued support,
cooperation, and patience are very much appreciated.

We urge everyone to stay home when possible during this time. Furthermore, the Town of
Boone, Watauga County, and the Town of Blowing Rock are operating under a 7:00 p.m. to 7:00
a.m. curfew to reduce the amount of traffic on the road when it is dark. Please also remember,
Turn Around, Don’t Drown! When a road is covered with water, moving or still, do not attempt
to cross. Do not drive around or remove barriers that have been set up, they have been set up to
keep you safe.

The Town of Boone is currently operating under a Boil Water Advisory and has been under this
advisory since Friday, September 27th. This means that Town of Boone water customers may be
experiencing low or no water pressure. We ask for your patience while our crews work to fix
these issues.

The lack of communication we are experiencing currently is something we have not yet seen
before. Our network providers are working together to repair all damaged towers. Our primary
issue, however, is off the mountain where a relay switch for fiber connectivity has been
damaged. The repairs for this part of the network currently do not have a timeline.

Our community has come together and is providing multiple resources for members in need.
Currently, our community is working on setting up a bottled water distribution center at Watauga
High School, located at 300 Go Pioneers Drive in Boone. This center will operate under a “drive
through” model, where residents of Watauga County may drive to the center and receive water
there. We will be releasing more information regarding this center’s opening soon.

If you or a loved one have been evacuated and cannot reenter your residence, the Red Cross and
Appalachian State University have opened the Holmes Convocation Center, located at 111
Rivers Street, as an emergency shelter for community members. Food, water, and beds are
currently available. Appalachian Medical Reserve Corps has launched a Non-Emergency
Information Call Center, which can be reached at (828) 263-4178. This initiative aims to divert
all non-emergency calls from the 911 system, ensuring that life-threatening emergencies receive
prompt attention.

I know it is difficult to see right now, but we will come through this better together. Thank you to
everyone in our community who has continued to be a good friend and neighbor. I am so proud
of the community we have and our ability to give of ourselves no matter the circumstance.

Sincerely,

Tim Futrelle,
Mayor of the Town of Boone