- [Narrator] "ncIMPACT" is PBS North Carolina production in association with the University of North Carolina School of Government.

[light music] Funding for "ncIMPACT" is made possible by: - [Narrator] Changing the course of peoples' lives, that's the impact UNC Health and the UNC School of Medicine work to deliver every day.

Our 40,000 team members across the State of North Carolina are committed to caring for you, our patients and communities, as well as educating the next generation of healthcare professionals.

Individually, we can do a little, but collectively, we can do a lot to create impact.

[light music continues] - In a state that has been battered by storms, we spotlight the innovators saving lives, fortifying communities, and navigating an increasingly unclear future.

This is "ncIMPACT."

[upbeat music] Welcome to "ncIMPACT."

I'm Anita Brown-Graham.

During Hurricane Helene, swift water rescue teams served as a lifeline for western North Carolina communities in crisis.

These rescues demand unique skills, and to meet this critical need, a groundbreaking facility in Fayetteville is changing the game.

We'll visit the East Coast's first indoor swift water rescue training center, and we'll find out how it's preparing a new generation of rescuers for the challenges ahead.

[dramatic music] - I'm going to see if I can survive being trapped in this car as 10 relentless pumps unleash a torrent of water simulating the raw power of a seven-knot current.

- You don't know what's under the water.

You don't know what the water's going to do.

- This is basically like putting myself into the aftermath of a hurricane and hoping it'll turn out all right.

But that's the point.

Because we're standing here in Hurricane Alley, but despite that, there's never been a facility like this to train swift water rescuers.

And there's a shortage of them.

Not to mention that with every passing storm season, that gap is growing more and more dangerous, until now.

[upbeat music] I'm David Hurst.

This is "ncIMPACT."

[light music] Okay, check this place out.

This is Fayetteville Tech's swift water rescue facility.

It's one of the only indoor swift water rescue facilities in the country.

Groups come from all over the United States to train here, but today, it's a group of first responders from around North Carolina.

It's the last day of a week-long class, so I wanted to put what they've learned to the test.

I'm jumping in and volunteering to be the subject in a simulated rescue.

Their goal: get to us by boat, rescue us from the sinking vehicle, and get us back safely to land in one piece.

Let's find out if they can do it.

[dramatic music] [rescuers conversing] [dramatic music continues] [water rushing] First, they secure us in a vehicle with no life vest as water begins to rise.

[dramatic music continues] The rescue team anchors their approach with guide ropes, fighting against the simulated flood current.

[water rushing] Now comes the crucial test.

Getting someone out of a submerged vehicle takes split-second timing and careful maneuvering through tight spaces.

- [Rescuer] Hold tight, bring it up.

[water rushing] [dramatic music continues] Bring it up.

[dramatic music continues] [water continues rushing] [rescuers yelling] [dramatic music continues] [water continues rushing] [water rushing intensifies] [rescuers yelling] [water continues rushing] [water continues rushing] [dramatic music] [rescuers yelling] - He'll get us out.

- Let's go this way.

- Whoo.

[rescuers conversing] [dramatic music continues] [dramatic music intensifies] [rescuers conversing] [dramatic music continues] - Intense.

There was a split second where it felt real and panic slipped in a little bit.

But it was intense.

I have a lot of respect for the people who do this.

[light music] Experiencing this simulation firsthand drives home just how unpredictable and dangerous swift water rescues can be.

While Hurricane Helene recently proved the importance of this kind of training, the story of this facility begins with another storm: Hurricane Matthew in 2016.

- Hurricane Matthew in 2016 really changed people's perspectives in the emergency response world, just because of the amount of flooding it caused and the widespread damage and the number of people it impacted.

It really made people stop and start thinking about, how do we handle these emergencies, and how do we better prepare for 'em?

- [David] In Cumberland County, Hurricane Matthew brought 12 to 14 inches of rain in just 12 hours.

That's a lotta rain.

Lewis says they received about 1,800 calls for rescues and evacuations during that time.

That many calls overwhelmed local rescuers.

- So it was a very chaotic situation, very dangerous, and fortunately, the loss of life was relatively small.

But that was because of the efforts of first responders.

- This importance became clear again in September of 2024 when Hurricane Helene struck western North Carolina.

Swift water rescue teams mobilized quickly, racing to save lives threatened by the surging flood waters.

[water rushing] [water sloshing] The advanced training, much like what we've seen here, proved crucial as rescuers faced an unprecedented storm.

Swift water rescues are obviously a matter of life or death.

How important is it to have trained swift water rescuers in these communities?

- So swift water, if you ever watch any type of major swift water event, the people that get caught in 'em obviously are life-threatened.

They cannot get outta where they're at.

If they could, they would have.

And if they stay where they're at, then things are not gonna go well.

But if you watch these major events, it is about the most dangerous thing a responder can do.

You don't know what the water's going to do.

So it is vital that emergency responders have a knowledge of how to operate around, and if needs be, in that swift water environment, but also to know their limitations and how to keep themselves outta danger.

- It's training many fire departments don't have easy access to.

Bryson Baucom works as a firefighter for the West Stanly Fire Department and Albemarle Fire Department.

He's tried to get swift rescue training in the past, but classes were often canceled because of bad weather or because river conditions were too dangerous.

But since this facility is indoors and climate-controlled, first responders now have a unique opportunity to train year-round, regardless of the weather.

How realistic is it?

Do you feel like, at some points, you're actually involved in a swift water rescue?

- Oh yeah, I do.

I like that it's controlled, just in case something goes wrong, because we're new and we're learning.

They're able to like control the speed and stuff and actually hone in on the teaching aspects and not worry about the river and what the river, Mother Nature's doing.

They can actually stop it and start it when needed.

[water rushing] - And so not only is this place protected from the weather.

It can simulate the weather, creating just about any weather condition you can think of.

So what all kind of weather events can you replicate here?

- There's lights over there, strobes that create a lightning effect.

And then we can also make it rain.

So that really, you can put 'em in an environment like they would be in if they were dealing with flash flooding, which is a storm with rain, lightning, and just a lotta distracting noises.

Once they get that down and they feel comfortable with that, then we cut the lights off.

[water rushing] [dramatic music] [people yelling] [dramatic music continues] [water continues rushing] [dramatic music intensifies] [water continues rushing] - [David] So while this facility is revolutionizing how we train rescuers, there's a broader mission at play here: preventing emergencies before they happen.

[gentle music] - Moving water could pick up a car with as little as six inches of moving water.

And the deeper it is, it could pick up trucks.

It can pick up whatever.

So trying to stay out of that water is vitally important.

So we hope to also educate the public and keep them out of position, so hopefully we don't have to do any of this work.

[gentle music continues] - Preparing for disasters isn't just about water rescue.

It's also about keeping the lights on.

As extreme weather strains our aging electrical grid, some towns are taking power into their own hands.

We travel to a coastal North Carolina community to explore how microgrids may well be revolutionizing energy independence.

[light music] - Just as Americans are encouraged to go electric, our power grid is failing.

Aging infrastructure, extreme weather, and surging demand are pushing our century-old power grid to its breaking point.

But what if the solution isn't about fixing the old system, but creating something new?

In this video, we're diving into the world of microgrids and how some communities are taking power into their own hands, literally.

We'll explore a coastal community that's become its own miniature power plant.

But can they truly answer our massive energy challenges?

Let's find out.

[upbeat music] [light music] In 2022, Eric Moulder and his wife were looking to downsize from their Pennsylvania home.

Like many retirees, they wanted a place near the beach, but they also wanted a house that could help them break away from an aging power grid.

- I've always wanted to have solar on my house.

I always knew the benefits of having solar.

- [David] The Moulders want energy independence, and so do a lot of other people.

The average American spends more time without power now than they did a decade ago.

Hurricane Helene's widespread blackouts made national news, but it wasn't an isolated crisis.

Communities face more and more threats to their power supply.

Media reported that in December of 2022, Moore County, North Carolina saw just how vulnerable our grid can be.

Gunfire damaged two critical substations and 45,000 people lost power.

One resident who depended on an oxygen tank died during the blackout.

Later that same month, Winter Storm Elliott brought freezing temperatures and soaring energy demand.

For the first time in North Carolina's history, Duke Energy implemented rolling blackouts, and they did it on Christmas Eve.

It was all in an effort to protect the overwhelmed power grid.

But I'm curious, with technology advancing, why is it that our grid is worse now than it was a decade ago?

The short answer is rapid population growth, an influx of businesses, and the electrification of transportation.

It's all straining North Carolina's grid like never before.

Duke Energy even recently reported that electricity demand is growing at its fastest rate in three decades.

But check out this solution: the microgrid.

It's a local power network that can operate independently from the larger grid.

It uses renewable energy sources like solar arrays and then banks power in batteries for later use.

The Heron's Nest community pioneered this concept as the state's first residential microgrid.

It's in Shallotte, North Carolina, and the Moulders are one of the community's first residents.

- Now that we're in the backyard, you can see the panels up there.

We have 10 panels on every home in the community.

- [David] Each of the neighborhood's 31 homes features a rooftop solar system.

It helps residents save money while also reducing their carbon footprint.

At the front of the neighborhood, we find more solar panels and a giant battery, all built on land that can't be developed.

The system is maintained by Brunswick Electric and stores enough power that, if needed, it can serve the entire community.

- And a lot of developments really have that.

You know, they've got the land that's left over.

It's not gonna be really useful for anything.

And so we decided to take that, and along with Brunswick Electric, use that to add something to the community that's helpful for the community when the power's out, but it is also helpful to the utility to keep electricity rates low for their customers.

- [David] While most homeowners rely on generators for backup power, this system offers a different solution during outages.

- You know, it gives you a certain amount of security knowing that if the electric goes down, we will be able to have power for a while, for those first 24 hours or so.

- And how important is that living in a coastal community where those outages might be a little bit more frequent?

- Yeah, I mean, we're in Hurricane Alley, right?

So it just makes perfect sense.

[light music] - Okay, now let's talk money.

Not only does solar reduce energy bills by about 1/3, but when these homes generate more electricity than they need, Brunswick Electric buys it back.

- And in all honesty, there's plenty of months in the moderate months, spring and fall, where people virtually haven't had a power bill.

[birds chirping] - [David] All of that sounds pretty good, especially that part about not having a power bill.

But there are shortcomings with microgrids.

Their widespread adoption faces financial and regulatory hurdles.

You see, the very things that make microgrids attractive, such as their independence and flexibility, also make them hard to regulate.

And that means there just isn't much incentive for builders to implement microgrids, especially at an affordable price point.

- We look around the country, you know, there's several of these around the country, but a lot of times, they're in communities, million-dollar homes that are gated.

And frankly, that's not very affordable.

It's for the ordinary person, it's very distant.

[light music] - But several states, including North Carolina, have already taken steps to make this process a little bit easier.

Across the country, new solutions are making microgrids more achievable than ever.

States are beginning to create clear rules that tell developers exactly how to build and connect these systems.

Meanwhile, innovative financing programs are eliminating the need for huge upfront costs.

It's making microgrids more affordable for communities that need them.

But so far, all we've talked about is residential.

How can microgrids be implemented in other sectors?

Well, electric co-ops across the state are exploring just that.

- This idea is scalable and certainly able to duplicate, and we can take what we've learned here and improve them in the future.

And we do have five current microgrids that have been deployed by North Carolina's electric cooperatives.

- Those five projects include two residential, two on farms, and one community project.

Take, for example, Butler Farms in Lillington, North Carolina.

They've partnered with their local electric co-op to create a microgrid that combines solar panels, batteries, and get this, pig poop.

Yeah, you heard that right, pig poop.

By converting their farm's waste into biogas, they're not just keeping their own lights on during outages, but they can also sell their excess power back to the grid.

On a larger scale, Duke Energy has unveiled a $14.5 million microgrid project in Hot Springs, North Carolina.

It will serve as a reliable power solution to the Hot Springs area, with the added benefit of supplying electricity to the entire town during outages.

Meanwhile, Eric Moulder is experiencing firsthand the benefits of microgrids through less power outages and cheaper energy bills.

In Pennsylvania, his average power bill was $400 a month.

Now, it's about 70.

Any sort of reaction from guests or people who come by and see it for the first time?

- I mean, they would never know, really.

But when we start talking and I say, "Yeah, my electric bills was, you know, $58 this month," they're like, "What?"

[laughing] So I mean, that's the reaction you get.

- [David] But that's just one household.

The road to widespread adoption has some obstacles.

Financial hurdles and regulatory mazes pose significant challenges to scaling up this promising technology.

For "ncIMPACT," I'm David Hurst.

[light music continues] - We're changing how we power communities and also, how we power our school buses.

Millions of our kids ride these school buses daily, but innovation is here to ensure that those who are vulnerable don't have to breathe in harmful fumes.

We examine how electric buses are beginning to transform how we move and power our communities.

[light music] - This may be one of the most iconic vehicles in America.

Now, I know that's a bold claim, but if you're anything like me, just looking at one of these things brings back memories.

One of those core memories [inhaling deeply] is the unmistakable smell of exhaust and diesel fuels lingering in the air.

Fast forward to today and little has changed.

Millions of kids across America still hop on these yellow icons daily, inhaling the same harmful fumes we did years ago.

But what if we could change this?

[cars whooshing] We're about to take you on a journey from the busy production lines of a local bus manufacturer to the quiet, clean streets of a county that's trying to forge a more resilient future.

But is turning our yellow buses green the key to cleaner air and a brighter future for our kids, or are we just along for an expensive ride?

I'm David Hurst.

This is "ncIMPACT."

[upbeat music] [machines clicking] School buses have been a staple of American education for decades.

Each year, 450,000 school buses hit the road, driving 3.5 billion, yes, billion, miles.

That is a whole lotta bus stops.

[light music] But 95% of school buses in the US run on diesel, and the EPA considers diesel exhaust one of the most dangerous pollutants to public health, with children being especially vulnerable to its harmful effects.

That bothers Art Whitaker, the transportation director of Cabarrus County Schools.

So when state officials asked him if he wanted to pilot an electric school bus program, he jumped at the opportunity.

Their electric school bus has now been in service since 2021.

- When it's on the school grounds and we're waiting for either arrival or dismissal, the students of Cabarrus County are not actually breathing in any kinda harmful emissions.

- [David] With a range of about 140 miles per charge, the bus works on a fixed route within the city.

- Every power tool that you buy nowadays has a battery behind it, doesn't it?

So not only has the industry, school bus industry has adapted, the industry in regards to battery technology has really been something that myself and a lotta other transportation directors have been really interested in.

[light music] - We then visited this electric school bus' birthplace, Thomas Built Buses in High Point, North Carolina.

They've been making school buses since 1936, but are shifting gears to create the future of school transportation.

It's here on the manufacturing floor where about 15,000 school buses roll off the assembly line each year.

And these iconic yellow bodies you see will actually end up on both electric and diesel buses.

Whether they're building an electric or diesel bus, the basic steps remain the same.

Workers carefully assemble each piece, attaching seats, mirrors, and other familiar parts to the frame.

The main difference, the massive battery that powers the electric versions.

And it's not just the heart of these next-generation buses.

They make up about 40% of the manufacturing cost.

But, perhaps, the most familiar part of the process is watching these buses get their signature yellow coat.

It's a tradition that continues, whether there's a battery or diesel engine underneath.

Now here's the interesting part.

These aren't just buses.

They're mobile power plants.

And during hurricane season, the district used to worry about diesel fuel shortages.

While electric school buses still need to be charged, they do offer a unique advantage.

They can actually serve as backup batteries to power critical facilities during emergencies.

But here's the thing, cost still remains a significant barrier to widespread adoption.

While a traditional diesel bus costs between 100,000 and $150,000, an electric bus can run anywhere from 300,000 to $400,000.

The reason for this price difference really lies in scale and supply chains.

School bus batteries are nearly triple the size of those in passenger cars.

This requires specialized components from a limited pool of suppliers.

While the industry pushes to expand production beyond its current market share, manufacturers believe costs will decrease as the technology becomes more widespread.

- So at 8.8% of the industry today being electrified school buses, there's a lotta more room to grow.

The scale can continue to grow and help drive down those costs for us, as well as our customer.

And that's where we want to go.

We wish that it would be faster, but it's moving in that right direction.

- [David] So while these costs present a significant hurdle, some school districts are finding ways forward through grant funding.

In Cabarrus County, their electric bus came at no cost to taxpayers.

It was funded through a statewide program using North Carolina's $30 million settlement with Volkswagen.

How do you scale that, though?

Is it sustainable to be able to just continually rely on external funds to be able to fund these kinda buses?

- Hopefully what's gonna happen in the period of time that we'll do our analysis, and through that analysis, we can determine our cost savings in regards to whether or not it's economically feasible from a cost standpoint to continue operating the electric.

But at the same time, as everyone knows, as soon as you introduce a product into the market, where hopefully that product becomes cheaper and less expensive as the years go on.

[light music] - And while much about school transportation is evolving, some things likely will never change.

So how soon are we to having this thing drive itself?

[Art and David laughing] - I don't know.

I think that you'll always have to have that- - Yeah.

- Human capital with- - Right, with kids involved.

- With your hands around the wheel.

- Yep.

[bus whirring] [light music] - For "ncIMPACT," I'm David Hurst.

[light music continues] - We're trying something new this season.

We're focusing more on the experts on the ground.

Thank you to the local leaders featured in this episode.

They all generously allowed us to share the inspirational stories of their collaborative work.

And of course, thank you to you, our amazing audience, for watching and engaging at such high levels.

Let me know what you think about the new format.

I also love hearing about the solutions you know of out there, when we do what we do best as North Carolinians, when we work together.

Tell us what your community is doing or how we can help you.

Email us at ncIMPACT@unc.edu, or message us on Facebook or LinkedIn.

And be sure to join us every Friday night at 7:30 on PBS North Carolina for new episodes of "ncIMPACT."

[upbeat music] [upbeat music continues] [upbeat music continues] [upbeat music continues] [upbeat music continues] [upbeat music continues] [upbeat music continues] [upbeat music continues] Coming up on "ncIMPACT:" [dramatic music] Medical care is vanishing from some small towns in America.

We find out how rural leaders are pioneering new ways to care for their own.

[mysterious music] - [Narrator] "ncIMPACT" is a PBS North Carolina production in association with the University of North Carolina School of Government.

[light music] Funding for "ncIMPACT" is made possible by: - [Narrator] Changing the course of people's lives, that's the impact UNC Health and the UNC School of Medicine work to deliver every day.

Our 40,000 team members across the State of North Carolina are committed to caring for you, our patients and communities, as well as educating the next generation of healthcare professionals.

Individually, we can do a little, but collectively, we can do a lot to create impact.