Afternoon everybody. Thank you for joining us. As we gather to remember the impacts of one disaster, we have to recognize the disaster that's underway as we speak. I just came from Polk County. Where fires have escalated over the last 24 hours, there are now wildfires in Polk and Henderson and Transylvania, and Bunkum and Haywood and Swain. There have been some more than 500 fires, wildfires totaling nearly 10,000 acres to hit western North Carolina just in the last month, and it's not even wildfire season. Folks are working incredibly hard. We have the North Carolina Forest Service. We have the North fire marshal. We have the state emergency management. We have the federal government sending resources. We have local fire from across the state stepping up to help these folks just like we're seeing here in Fairview. Firefighters from Pamlico County from Onslow County recognizing the incredible issues that are facing. The region It's *** double whammy. We're here today because it's the 6 month anniversary. of Hurricane Helene sweeping through western North Carolina. causing all kinds of damage. Thousands of people lost their homes. Thousands of businesses lost. Their ability to function. Lost jobs. Most heartbreaking 106 North Carolinians lost their lives. 13 of them in this very community. Many of them related to each other in one way or another, and I want to thank the family members who shared their stories and the stories are painful. They're hard It's hard to move on when you're carrying that kind of weight with you every day. But they are also looking forward to the next day because they know it will come and they want it to be *** brighter day. Battalion Chief Tony Garrison and his nephew Brandon. 2 of the 13 of this community who lost their lives. Trying to save others. I don't think you can have *** better testament. To dedication of service than someone who loses their life trying to save the life of someone else. Just incredible stories of bravery. Of courage, of service, uh, his wife Mary, daughter Hannah, son. told me about what *** special man he was, and I thank you for doing that and his mom as well. *** lot of carrying. There are other relations who they lost and They missed them dearly. The tremendous loss that these folks have experienced is pain that we wish we could heal. We wish we could. South, but it is. What I would like to do at this moment is take *** moment of silence to give us all an opportunity to just think, to reflect on the 106 lives that were lost. Each of those people had parents, children, spouses, brothers, sisters, cousins, friends, neighbors who are feeling pain, and let's take *** moment to think of those folks. It hurts us to know that there's nothing we can do to bring the loved ones back. But their legacies can inspire us to better support our neighbors and to build back our communities. We know that Western North Carolina has so much work to do to rebuild. But there have been moments of progress and to recognize those. I want to thank the General Assembly for its appropriation last week of over half *** billion dollars, nowhere near enough, but enough to help us get started. The federal government has appropriated some funds. It has not gotten to North Carolina fast enough. I want to thank delegation, congressional delegation for helping to secure those funds. We now need to accelerate the agencies getting those monies to North Carolina, and we also need much more help. I have *** $19 billion appropriations request before the US Congress. North Carolina needs these funds $60 billion in damage. $60 billion. There's not that much capital in Western North Carolina. Our state budget is $30 billion. There is not enough money to help the folks of Western North Carolina. That is why we need federal support. We need more federal support today. People need to get back in their homes. Roads and bridges need to be fixed. Businesses need to keep their doors open and their employees hired. Communities need clean drinking water. If you are out there watching this and you believe Western North Carolina needs *** hand up, I urge you to contact your state representatives and senators. Contact your federal representatives and senators. We need them to hear from you. We need them to fight like hell for the people of Western North Carolina. As *** government, state government, federal government, it is our duty to give people *** hand up when they've been knocked down to help the people of Western North Carolina rebuild. Rebuilding takes *** commitment from each of us to meet the moment. Because rebuilding is not guaranteed. It is not inevitable. It must happen, and we must make it happen. So let's make the commitment fueled by the strength of those who have given so much over the last 6 months to help the people out here and fueled by the memories whose lives were lost. And it is in their memories that I will sign *** proclamation in remembrance of the 106 North Carolinians who lost their lives after Hurricane Helene. May God bless all the people of Western North Carolina. Happy to take any questions if there are any. About the current wildfires, do you expect there to be *** few disaster declaration? The Federal Ability to cover the cost of these fires. Last night I declared *** state of emergency here in North Carolina. We were already under one, but by declaring the emergency for this specific one as opposed to the one from 6 months ago, it enables us to draw fire resources. From other states and have that reimbursed. FEMA has been *** good partner in fighting these fires and have already assured us of some reimbursement. So we are grateful to them. We're grateful to the partnership of the US Forest Service. I just came from the headquarters. North Carolina Forest Service is taking the lead, but they're drawing on their federal partners and they're mobilizing the local resources, and it's quite inspiring. They're attacking the fires at every opportunity, working hard to retain them so that they don't spread. There have been about 11 properties, 11 homes that have burned to date. We want to have not *** single more. Uh thank God to our knowledge, no one has died. One firefighter needed to be extracted in an emergency, uh, but within an hour was in the hospital and all indications are, uh, he will recover. These of the last 6 months, not just but also. No time the person was. Communities to catch their breath it seems like. I hope you have *** chance to talk to these firefighters who are here in Fairview because you're 100% right. They went from emergency response after Hurricane Helene trying to save people. They then had to deal with winter storm after winter storm, and now we have forest fires throughout western North Carolina. These folks are exhausted, but it's *** special person who heeds the calling to be *** firefighter. These are people of service. They're people of heart, and I am confident that they're going to meet the moment. What I want is for us to rise to the same level of service and dedication that these folks are demonstrating. No one else wants to deadline to get small business. There are *** lot of different deadlines for different programs. March 27, today, the six month deadline is the end of 100% reimbursement by FEMA for all the debris removal. I have made requests on multiple occasions to the federal government and to our congressional delegation to have *** six month extension. The amount of debris that Hurricane Helene created really defies our imagination. We've already collected nearly 7 million cubic yards of debris, and we are nowhere near done. It's going to take another 6 to 9 months we believe to finish the job, so we need more federal funding. That 100% reimbursement ends today. I'm hopeful that the White House will act. We've asked the White House to act, so fingers crossed. There are *** lot of small businesses that are struggling. Major disaster. Businesses that are impacted, 40% of them never open their doors. 60% shutter permanently within two years. We cannot let that be the story of Western North Carolina. I've urged the General Assembly to give us funding to support small businesses. They have not yet heeded that request. I'm about to submit *** supplemental request that will be central to what we want. Carolina believe you need help to get through these tough times. Let your representatives know that they need to step up. We have raised about $35 million between state money. Duke Endowment money, Dogwood Health Trust money that we've done small business grant initiative and those funds are about to be fully out the door and the number of applications are in the thousands. The need is real and we've only been able to scratch the surface, so there's much, much more work to do to support the small businesses of Western North Carolina.