FBI Personnel Assist in Hurricane Helene Response
'It's about the people and the families we're serving'

FBI’s Rapid Deployment Team (RDT) has been active in the remote western portions of North Carolina and East Tennessee that were most impacted by Hurricane Helene.
FBI personnel in communities affected by Hurricane Helene are working around the clock to enhance communications, support first responders, and assist communities as they recover and rebuild following Hurricane Helene.
In North Carolina, the FBI Washington Field Office's Rapid Deployment Team (RDT) has been active in the remote western portions of the state most impacted by the hurricane, which killed more than 200 people and left thousands homeless and without power. The team deployed to the hardest hit regions with a mission to provide public safety and security for FEMA officials and to preserve life and protect property. The roles—or emergency support functions—are spelled out in the federal government’s disaster response plans. The Rapid Deployment Team is also providing technology to help first responders communicate.
The FBI has also joined local authorities in the grim task of identifying victims in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. Special agents from the Bureau’s Johnson City Resident Agency are working alongside the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Northeast Regional Medical Examiner’s Office at East Tennessee State University to provide grieving families with some semblance of closure.
"It's not just about the fingerprints; it's about the people and the families we're serving," said Joe Carrico, special agent in charge of the FBI in Tennessee. "Our role is to support our state and local partners in bringing answers to those who need them most. In moments like these, it's impossible not to feel the weight of that responsibility."
Special Agent Paul Durant, of the Johnson City office, is using electronic fingerprint devices to collect prints from victims. He said the work is demanding. "It’s tough, but it’s rewarding to know that we can provide some answers to families who are suffering," he said. The fingerprints are sent directly via smartphone technology to the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, streamlining what can otherwise be a lengthy process.
The work is both emotionally and physically taxing. Remains are often severely compromised, making identification nearly impossible through traditional means. Some victims were swept across state lines from North Carolina into Tennessee, compounding the challenge.
"Our role is to support our state and local partners in bringing answers to those who need them most. In moments like these, it's impossible not to feel the weight of that responsibility."
Joe Carrico, special agent in charge, FBI Nashville



The FBI and partner agencies on the ground in North Carolina.


“There were days when it was overwhelming—seeing the destruction and hearing the stories,” said Durant, who has been an agent for five years. “But at the end of the day, knowing we can help identify these victims and bring some comfort to their families makes it all worth it."
In several cases, agents used advanced forensic techniques to obtain usable prints. This method, often seen as a last resort in forensic work, is both unsettling and necessary for precise identification.
"Knowing we have this unique access to national fingerprint files that others might not is critical," said Special Agent Reanna O’Hare of the Johnson City Resident Agency, one of several satellite offices of the Nashville Field Office. She emphasized the FBI’s ability to also tap into Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security databases. "We’ve been able to identify some victims who otherwise might have remained unknown," O’Hare said.


"We’ve been able to identify some victims who otherwise might have remained unknown."
Reanna O’Hare, special agent, FBI Nashville, Johnson City Resident Agency
Special agents in Tennessee used mobile technology to help process fingerprints for identification. The effort was supported by the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division in West Virginia, which provided agents in the field with real-time support.
The FBI’s efforts here are part of a broader collaboration with local and state authorities. Special Agent J.D. Anderson, the supervisory senior resident agent overseeing the efforts in Johnson City, stressed the importance of partnerships. “Our hearts go out to the families affected by this tragedy. We are committed to doing everything in our power with our partners to bring them closure.”
Special Agents Durant and O’Hare relied heavily on the Mobile Biometrics Application (MBA) and Special Processing Center (SPC) teams to expedite the identification of victims. These specialized units, operating out of the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division in West Virginia, provided agents in the field with real-time support, often pulling fingerprints and running them through reference files within minutes. In some cases, results were returned in as little as 15 to 20 minutes, streamlining the identification process during critical moments.
The MBA team, in particular, played a vital role by swiftly processing prints, actively monitoring quality control, and troubleshooting more difficult cases. When automated systems didn’t yield a match, the SPC team took over, applying manual processes to assist with identification. This seamless coordination between field agents and the FBI’s lab-based experts highlights the Bureau’s ability to deploy advanced technology in disaster zones, ensuring that victims' families receive answers as quickly as possible.
While working to bring closure to grieving families, the agents have also felt the storm’s personal impact. O’Hare’s daughter and grandchildren evacuated from North Carolina to stay with her in Upper East Tennessee after being displaced by power loss. "I joined the FBI to help people," O’Hare said. "In situations like this, that’s why I am doing my very small part to try to provide some closure for the families of the victims."
As the FBI and its partners work to support communities impacted by Hurricane Helene, the Bureau issued a warning about scammers looking to exploit survivors and mislead charitable donors. Learn to spot the red flags of disaster fraud at fbi.gov/DisasterFraud.
"It’s rewarding to know that we can provide some answers to families who are suffering."
Paul Durant, special agent, FBI Nashville, Johnson City Resident Agency