Dispatch from Asheville: Aeroflow Health makes sure ‘no one is left behind’

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Of all the havoc wrought by Hurricane Helene, few places were more devastated than Asheville, N.C., and the surrounding areas. For Aeroflow Health, which is headquartered there, the storm brought a heavy toll, even as the provider stood up operations with an “all-hands-on-deck” approach to its employees, patients and community, says CEO Casey Hite. 

“We focused on keeping things simple and doing what was right,” he said. “We are processing orders and checking in on each other to ensure no one is left behind.” 

HME News: What’s the overall situation in Asheville?  

Casey Hite: The situation in our community is truly heartbreaking, and we’re still coming to grips with the scale of the devastation. Many residents remain without power or water, and neighborhoods have a haunting sense of desolation. Roads are blocked with debris, leaving families isolated from the help they need. The damage is staggering; entire homes have been transformed or destroyed, creating a landscape marked by profound loss. I’m not sure we have fully come to terms with the extent of what we’ve experienced. It is all complex and there is definitely a level of guilt that many of us feel for our varying levels of survival in the aftermath. 

HME: Are all of your employees accounted for? 

Hite: I’m relieved to share that after five days of reaching out, every team member in the affected areas has been confirmed safe. This news brings immense relief, but it’s crucial to recognize that while everyone is physically safe, many are grappling with serious challenges. The emotional toll is heavy, and there is a long road to recovery ahead. 

HME: Is any relief trickling in yet? 

Hite: Yes, we are beginning to see some relief efforts from the community, but the reality is that it’s still not nearly enough to meet the overwhelming needs. It’s been truly inspiring to watch individuals and co-workers rally together, filling their cars with fuel and supplies to bring into their neighborhoods. We are incredibly grateful to our vendor partners who have generously provided assistance directly to Aeroflow employees and supported the broader community—your contributions mean a great deal. In response to immediate needs, we have set up an employee pantry designed to create a safe space where employees can access power, water and internet, while also grabbing essential resources before heading home. Additionally, we’ve gone the extra mile to locate and secure housing for employees who were drastically impacted. We want to take the burden off of them, so we are providing housing, meals and transportation for those individuals at no cost. 

HME: What’s going on at Aeroflow operationally?  

Hite: I’m proud to share that Aeroflow is back up and running, thanks to the incredible dedication of our team. We prioritized restoring power to the warehouse, then reestablished internet access for our servers. With these critical resources in place, we rerouted orders to minimize the backlog, leveraging the invaluable support of our remote teams to process both existing and new orders. These early decisions were crucial in supporting our teammates as they slowly made their way back online. While we’re not yet at full capacity, we believe that our proactive approach and all-hands-on-deck mentality have significantly reduced the burden on those returning. We are also leveraging the technology solutions we’ve built to automate many processes.  

HME: Aeroflow is a big part of the Asheville community. What is the company doing to pitch in? 

Hite: Our teams swiftly identified critical shortages and mobilized to take action. We were proud to provide manual Haakaa breast pumps to pumping mothers who lost power, ensuring they had the necessary tools to care for their little ones. Additionally, we donated incontinence supplies to nursing homes and community resource centers that were running low, and we extended our support to local fire departments and organized relief efforts, acknowledging their vital role in our community during this crisis. Our team, across all levels, stepped up in remarkable ways—renting U-Hauls to deliver supplies such as water, bread and gas, and even walking miles to hand-deliver essential items. We are committed to continuing these efforts, as we anticipate the demand for support will persist for weeks to come.