One year after Hurricane Helene devastated parts of Western North Carolina, staff and community members gathered Friday morning at Blue Ridge Regional Hospital (BRRH) to reflect on the storm’s impact, honor the extraordinary courage of hospital staff, and express gratitude for the resilience that carried them through.
The Spruce Pine area was hit especially hard when Helene made landfall last September, cutting off communication and isolating communities for days. At BRRH, nurses, physicians, CNAs, environmental services staff, IT teams, and maintenance workers stayed behind—not knowing if their own families or homes were safe—to care for patients and keep the hospital running.
“We had team members who lost everything coming in and saying, ‘What can I do to help?’” said Tonia Hale, CEO and CNO of Blue Ridge Regional Hospital.
With communication systems down for three days, hospital staff had to improvise care delivery and logistics, relying on sheer teamwork and creativity. This morning’s ceremony was filled with gratitude—for each other, for the hospital’s role in the emergency response, and for the community’s support.
“Our emergency operations were dependent on Blue Ridge Regional Hospital, and boy did you all come through,” said Mitchell County Manager Allen Cook. “From the emergency management side of it, we were proud of this hospital. Your teams stepped up and helped people who needed you.”
As a direct result of the challenges faced during Helene, HCA Healthcare has developed and installed a new satellite-based communication system called BlueNet, named in honor of BRRH. Launched in August, the system combines low Earth orbit satellite technology and 5G cellular networks to ensure hospitals stay connected during disasters. BRRH was the first hospital to pilot BlueNet, and it will now be rolled out across HCA Healthcare hospitals nationwide.
The ceremony today wasn’t just about looking back—it was about honoring the strength and unity of a hospital that never stopped caring.
“We reflect on this past year with resilience,” said Hale, “and with deep gratitude for each other and for the community that stood with us. At HCA Healthcare, our mission is: ‘Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life.’ And I thank every one of you for living out that mission every single day.”
