Agents at the FBI’s Nashville field office used new fingerprint recognition technology to identify people who died in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

“When you do that, you’re always very careful because it was a human being and it was someone’s loved one. It was someone’s mother, brother, sister,” said FBI Special Agent Paul Durant, who has been with the FBI for five years. , said in a statement. “It’s difficult, but it’s rewarding to know that we can provide answers to families who are suffering.”

The hurricane that devastated parts of Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, the Carolinas and Virginia has killed more than 230 people since it made landfall on September 27.

The FBI assisted local law enforcement in the daunting task of identifying bodies in areas of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina that were impacted by historic flooding, Using electronic fingerprint devices that connect to phones that typically help law enforcement identify criminals.

HURRICANE HELENE: 11 DEAD OF A SINGLE NORTH CAROLINA FAMILY AS AUTHORITIES CONTINUE TO FIND BODIES

FBI Nashville Special Agent Paul Durant discusses the recovery process after Hurricane Helene in Southern Appalachia. (FBI)

The remains of some victims are seriously compromised. Others crossed state lines from North Carolina to Tennessee due to the rapid movement of waters after the storm.

“The first time I walked into the morgue, I was hit with a feeling of disbelief,” Durant said. “I had never been to a medical examiner’s office before, so it was surreal. You know what your job is, but you don’t fully understand it until you’re there, face to face with the victims .That’s when it gets real and you go into work mode.

FOX CORPORATION LAUNCHES DONATION CAMPAIGN FOR AMERICAN RED CROSS RELIEF EFFORTS AFTER HURRICANE HELENE

The FBI helped local law enforcement in the daunting task of identifying bodies in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina, using electronic fingerprint devices that connect to phones which generally help law enforcement identify criminals. (FBI)

Durant added that it was “upsetting” some days, “seeing the destruction and hearing the stories.”

“But in the end, knowing that we can help identify these victims and bring some comfort to their families is worth it,” he added.

North Carolina, mother of 4 children swept away by Hurricane Helene, flooded in front of her husband, 8-year-old son

Brian McCormack takes a break after using a wheelbarrow to clean up debris left in the wake of Hurricane Helene, October 1, 2024, in Marshall, North Carolina. (Jeff Roberson)

Agents use smartphones to send fingerprints collected directly from victims to the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia, to speed up what can be a lengthy process. However, collecting fingerprints has not always been a quick task. In some cases, officers had to use advanced forensic techniques to obtain clear prints.

“It is critical to know that we have unique access to national fingerprint files that others may not have,” said Special Agent Reanna O’Hare, who served as chief of senior team of the FBI Knoxville Evidence Response Team, in a statement.

O’Hare highlighted how the FBI was able to use Department of Defense and Homeland Security databases: “We were able to identify some victims who otherwise would have remained unknown.” »

HURRICANE HELENE: NORTH CAROLINA RESIDENTS FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL AS BASIC GOODS BECOME SCARCE

A drone view shows the damage caused by Hurricane Helene in Asheville, North Carolina, on September 29. (Reuters/Marco Bello)

But Joe Carrico, special agent in charge of the FBI in Tennessee, emphasized that “it’s not just about fingerprints.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“It’s about the people and families we serve,” Carrico said. “Our role is to help our state and local partners provide answers to those who need them most. In times like these, it is impossible not to feel the weight of this responsibility.

Federal, state, and local authorities continue recovery and rebuilding efforts in the southern Appalachian Mountains after Helen. The death toll is expected to rise as the process continues.