Update on Team SC Response and Recovery After Helene

As cleanup efforts remain in full effect and utility crews work diligently to restore power and deliver essential resources to the areas hit the hardest, state agencies are asking residents to be patient.

“I know these are trying times for so many of our South Carolina families as they wait for critical services. We know it’s not easy, but we appreciate your understanding as crews work around the clock to improve conditions,” said Kim Stenson, Director of the South Carolina Emergency Management Division. “We are encouraged to see communities coming together in a time of need, people offering assistance where possible and neighbors checking on one another. We will get through this together.”

South Carolina's state agencies and local partners report the following as of 2:00 p.m. today:

The South Carolina Emergency Management Division remains at OPCON 1. There has been a total of 654 logistical requests. The requests range from shelter assistance to debris removal.

• Thousands of line workers are working around the clock to make power repairs. As of 2:00 pm 592,209 outages were reported. At the height of the storm over 1.4 million outages were reported.

• The South Carolina Department of Transportation continues to focus on cleanup efforts throughout the state. Crews are working around the clock to clear roadways and get South Carolina back to normal.
• 9 general population shelters are currently in operation. View shelter information here.
• Decisions to open shelters are made at the local level.

• The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) has been in contact with 271 health care facilities to check on their power/electricity status and assist with any needs. DPH Care Line has received a total of 1,348 calls. DPH has distributed 574 oxygen tanks to county partners.

• The South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) is requesting a waiver from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that if approved will allow DSS to automatically issue federally funded food replacement benefits to current SNAP recipients residing in counties where 50% or more of the total population in that county experienced a power outage lasting more than four (4) hours per federal guidelines.  If the waiver is approved, the amount of replacement benefits each SNAP household will receive is based on their monthly issuance date. SNAP recipients are encouraged to seek verified information from trusted sources, such as directly from DSS, and not rumors or misinformation spread on social media networks.

• The South Carolina National Guard has a projected 966 service members on state active duty for October 1, 2024. Support to North Carolina has continued with SCHART missions. Soldiers are supporting local and state agencies at points of distribution in Saluda, Greenville, Spartanburg, Laurens, Spartanburg, Oconee, Pickens, Cherokee, Aiken. These PODs are being established or currently operational. The South Carolina National Guard also continues to support road clearing, traffic control assistance, transportation, damage assessment (ground), vehicle recovery, general purpose troops for support, and security (non-armed) general purpose troops. Soldiers have completed missions in Lexington, Columbia, Oconee, Anderson, Greenville, Richland, Edgefield, Saluda, York, Pickens, Cherokee, Marlboro, McCormick, Aiken, Spartanburg, Sumter, Laurens, and Greenwood counties.

• Road safety remains a top priority. Highway Patrol Troopers and State Transport Police Officers with the South Carolina Department of Public Safety have responded to 4,722 calls for service since storm operations began. 
• The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) Dam Safety Team has assessed the condition of 149 state-regulated dams and there are no significant issues reported or observed. Working with state partners and local entities, SCDES has approved 29 alternate debris management sites in 10 counties as of today to help manage debris from Helene. 

• The South Carolina Department of Commerce is conducting outreach to industry across the state to identify business-related needs. Businesses are encouraged to contact the ESF 24 desk (803-737-8524 or esf24@emd.sc.gov) for assistance and to report damage. 

• The South Carolina Department of Insurance (SC DOI) reports insurance company claim representatives are in the affected areas ready to assist consumers.  Consumers should contact their company or agent directly to report damages as soon as possible.  If consumers have trouble reaching their company or agent, they can call the SC DOI Office of Consumer Services for assistance at 1-800-768-3467.

• The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA) urges everyone to stay on guard and watch for imposter scams. Scammers will reach out by phone, email, text, social media and even in-person. The bottom line to avoid a scam during this trying time: don’t give any personal or financial information to a cold caller. Report scams to SCDCA by visiting consumer.sc.gov or calling (844) TELL-DCA (835-5322) (toll-free with SC number).

The South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS) is working with federal partners and local providers to ensure access to addiction treatment medications.  DAODAS has also shared materials with other state and local agencies related to general behavioral health needs after a hurricane, as well as resources for children, adolescents, families, schools, older adults, faith leaders, rural communities, and disaster responders.  Anyone experiencing emotional distress related to the disaster can call or text the national Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990.

Volunteers will be needed for months and even years after the disaster, especially in the long-term recovery phase. Explore all volunteer and donation opportunities through the South Carolina Emergency Management Division at https://www.scemd.org/recover/volunteer-and-donate/. 

Residents can also use the Damage Assessment tool in the SC Emergency Manager app to report property damage to authorities. Download the app on the App Store and on Google Play: http://onelink.to/dn92rx.