Resources for Hurricane Helene Aftermath

Resources for Hurricane Helene Aftermath

 The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce team is entering this week with heavy hearts from the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene in our great state & the surrounding areas, and we want to provide access to resources for those facing the harsh aftermath of this storm.

 

We also want to take a moment to acknowledge and thank all of the first responders, linemen, and emergency weather services personnel in our state who have worked tirelessly throughout this storm to ensure the safety and wellbeing of South Carolinians during this crisis. The resilience and bravery of those on the frontlines represents the best qualities of our citizens and gives us hope that we will get through this difficult time together.

Governor Henry McMaster announced that South Carolina's September 28 request for an Expedited Major Presidential Disaster Declaration to provide federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in response to Hurricane Helene has been approved. The initial list of counties approved for assistance is not final, and additional counties are likely to be added as further damage assessments are completed. 

 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved Individual Assistance program help to Aiken, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Cherokee, Greenville, Greenwood, Lexington, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Saluda, and Spartanburg counties. This program provides direct financial assistance to residents who incurred uninsured damages to their property as a result of the storm. Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621- 3362 or by using the FEMA App. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service, or others, give FEMA the number for that service. More information about this program can be found here. 

 

FEMA also approved Public Assistance for Aiken, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Cherokee, Greenville, Greenwood, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Saluda, and Spartanburg counties for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance. Under the Public Assistance program, state and affected local governments are eligible to apply for federal funding to pay 75 percent of the approved costs under certain categories. The division of the remaining 25 percent will be determined later. More information about this program can be found here.

 

An expedited declaration request is available when the scale and severity of damage are evident, even before complete damage assessments have been conducted. Counties selected for expedited assistance were identified by emergency management officials based on immediate communication with local officials, resource requests, fatalities, and power outages. 

If your business sustained any damage during Hurricane Helene, you can report the damage by completing the South Carolina ESF-24 Emergency Response Survey. Emergency Support Function (ESF)-24 exists to support business and industry during natural disasters. The South Carolina Department of Commerce is the coordinating agency for ESF-24, which is made up of 13 agencies and organizations that integrate with the business community including the SC Chamber.

 

The SC Emergency Resources Dashboard is a one-stop-shop portal for the latest information during times of disaster including power outages, road and bridge closures, shelter locations, executive orders, and more.

 

Questions about the state’s response or safety precautions should be directed to the state's Hurricane Helene Information Hotline: 1-866-246-0133.

 

We have included the link to the most up-to-date power outage map for the state at this time, as well as links to the Duke & Dominion Energy websites for those still waiting for the lights to come back on.

 

SCDOT Storm Resources

We encourage anyone who is traveling during this time to stay up-to-date with the SCDOT's advisories as some roads may be impassable due to damage from the storm:

 

511 Traveler Information System: Provides real-time traffic camera images and travel time estimates.

Road Conditions - Check current road conditions using the Roadway Information System

Power outages remain widespread and should be reported to local electricity providers.

 

US Chamber Foundation – National Disaster Help Desk

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation manages the National Disaster Help Desk. They activate to support disaster-impacted communities and their businesses, if needed in your recovery effort. They support (not supplant) existing systems and communications between chambers, businesses, non-profits, local/state/federal governments and fill gaps when needed. The Disaster Help Desk can be reached at 888-MY-BIZ-HELP (or 888-692-4943). The Help Desk will provide coordination of information among businesses, local chambers of commerce, nonprofits, government, and disaster recovery specialists. The purpose is to support and enhance existing systems and facilitate information sharing where there are gaps. You should call if:

• You want information about what to do and/or recovery best practices.
• You are in the impact area and want help navigating FEMA, SBA, and other assistance programs.
• You are in the impact area and are not sure who to call for a particular need or assistance.
• You want to support the recovery process and connect with chambers or businesses in the impacted area.   

They also have disaster quick guides that may be helpful:

https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/solutions/disaster-response-and-resiliency/disaster-quick-guides

 

 

For additional incoming news on this crisis, please follow SC Emergency Management Division (@SCEMD) / X and FEMA Region 4 (@femaregion4) / X.