RALEIGH – Five N.C Department of Transportation employees and a state trooper were recently honored with the
Governor’s Award for Excellence for their heroic actions to save lives on Interstate 40 in the Pigeon River Gorge during Hurricane Helene.
The Governor’s Awards for Excellence is the highest honor a state employee may receive for service to North Carolina and its residents. It recognizes state employees for their outstanding accomplishments beyond their normal duties.
“These employees used their training and followed exactly what their natural instincts instructed them to do — help those around them by any means possible,” NCDOT Secretary Daniel Johnson said. “Their courageous actions in a chaotic moment prevented what could have been a catastrophe.”
The employees honored during a
Nov. 19 ceremony at the State Archives of North Carolina in Raleigh are:
- Scottie Coggins — Division 14 Assistant Roadside Environmental engineer
- David Hall — Division 14 Roadside Environmental Transportation Supervisor
- Sgt. Joe Henderson with the State Highway Patrol
- Garett McFalls — Western North Carolina Incident Management Assistance Patrol senior responder
- Austin Phillips — Division 14 Roadside Environmental engineer
- Christopher Strader — Western North Carolina IMAP senior responder
- A video featuring their actions was played during the ceremony.
The employees are credited with saving numerous lives by redirecting traffic in the I-40 gorge during Hurricane Helene.
On Sept. 28, 2024, they rushed to I-40 in the gorge as rain from Helene swelled the Pigeon River to the point where chunks of the eastbound lanes of the interstate had started falling into the river. First the embankment, then the shoulder, and then asphalt disappeared, leaving craters where the road used to be.
As the employees arrived, motorists had stopped their vehicles unable to move as the interstate disappeared around them.
McFalls, Strader and Sgt. Henderson quickly devised a plan to move traffic away from the dangerous floodwaters.
As Henderson and Strader ushered eastbound traffic closer to the concrete median separating the two sides of the highway, McFalls quickly reached the nearest metal barrier gate where he discovered panicked drivers had already opened it to allow one car to pass through at a time.
The three employees began sending passenger vehicles through the median while Coggins, Hall and Phillips joined McFalls to open a larger section of the median, so tractor trailers could switch to the safe, west side of the interstate. Thanks to their quick efforts, everyone made it out of the gorge safely.
“They went above and beyond to serve in the line of duty, to protect the public, to act as heroes,” said Chris Lee, NCDOT’s deputy division engineer for Highway Division 14 in far western North Carolina. “They saved the day and we’re so proud of them.”