Asheville Launched New Emergency Response Program
The city has introduced a Community Emergency Response Team program to boost local disaster preparedness and resilience.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Safety
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Asheville has established a new Community Emergency Response Team to empower residents to assist their neighbors during emergencies. The initiative serves as a force multiplier for city-employed first responders following the operational challenges caused by Hurricane Helene in 2024.
Why it matters
The program aims to build greater community resilience by training residents to provide safe assistance during disaster scenarios. This structure ensures a faster local response when standard emergency services are managing high-demand incidents.
The program involves an 18.5-hour online course and an 8- to 10-hour hands-on session led by the fire department. Current participation includes 12 graduated residents and 115 active students.
The players
Asheville Fire Department
This department serves as the primary instructor for the hands-on portion of the emergency training curriculum.
The details
Participants learn to provide support during disasters, acting as a crucial resource to help neighbors safely. The training is part of a broader city effort to optimize emergency communications and response hierarchies following the significant impact of Hurricane Helene.
Timeline
Hurricane Helene impacted city emergency operations in 2024.
A training session for 20 participants is planned for fall 2026.
Seasonal Patterns
The creation of this team marks a direct institutional response to the after-action review conducted following the 2024 Hurricane Helene emergency operations. This initiative follows a pattern established by major disaster response efforts where cities expand volunteer networks to supplement standard services.
Interested residents must complete an application and enroll via email to begin the 18.5-hour online training course. Graduates are expected to contribute to disaster preparedness initiatives and assist their local community during emergency activations.
The takeaway
Developing a volunteer response force helps bridge the gap between individual readiness and professional emergency service capacity. Residents can increase their personal and neighborhood safety by participating in official city training programs.
What happens next
A training session for 20 participants is scheduled to take place in the fall of 2026.
Further reading
Learn more about local disaster preparedness at Asheville Safety.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Municipal.
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