Anderson County Prepares as Hurricane Helene Approaches |Anderson, SC

Josh Hawkins Anderson County Emergency Management Director, and Cory Freeman Anderson County EMS Operations Manager

Anderson, SC| As Hurricane Helene approaches Florida, Anderson County Officials are preparing for the impacts of this storm. Anderson County Emergency Management Director Josh Hawkins said the County is preparing to open its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to monitor this storm. Hawkins said EMS, Public Works, Emergency Management, Fire, and Sheriff’s Office will stage at the EOC and respond with resources when needed. The EOC has multiple monitors on the wall with the weather and cameras throughout the county. Hawkins also said for citizens to be prepared. Prepare for the storm by having non-perishable food, water, batteries, fuel for your vehicle, and a fully charged phone in case you need to call for an emergency. If you do not need to go anywhere, don’t explained Hawkins. Cory Freeman, the Anderson County Emergency Medical Services Operations Manager, said under the worst circumstances, if you call 911 for an ambulance, you will get one. They have a plan: even if the wind gets too high for ambulances to safely travel on the roads, they are in contact with the State of South Carolina’s Emergency Management, which has contact with the National Guard. Both Hawkins and Freeman said the citizens of Anderson County will be safe and taken care of. Their top priority is the welfare of each Citizen of Anderson.

Anderson School Districts released a statement about school on Friday, September 27, 2024.

Dylan McCullough with Anderson School District Three said in a statement: Due to the anticipated weather impacts of Hurricane Helene, Anderson County Schools will be observing an eLearning Day on Friday, September 27. Each district will individually communicate with its families any changes to afterschool activities for Thursday, September 26, and Friday, September 27. We urge everyone to follow weather advisories as we anticipate the effects of Hurricane Helene.

Sharon Kraun Vice President, Marketing & Communications for Priority Ambulance Service, the parent company to Medshore Ambulance Service ( Anderson County Ambulance Provider) said in a statement to upstatenewstoday.com :

Our ambulance crews follow our standard emergency procedures, designed to handle a wide range of crisis situations. We are in close communication with our public safety partners to ensure a coordinated response.It’s important to note that our teams are always prepared for emergencies, as this is the nature of our work. However, if wind speeds exceed 45 mph or flooding affects roadways, our response times may be delayed due to safety concerns for our crews and patients.We will continue to monitor the situation closely and adjust our operations as necessary to provide the best possible care while prioritizing the safety of our staff and the community.

As this storm approaches, stay with Upstate news today.com for all the latest developments.

Thursday Morning Update:

HELENE BECOMES A CATEGORY 2 HURRICANE WITH SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING EXPECTED BEFORE LANDFALL IN FLORIDA… …PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION…

7:00 PM CDT Wed Sep 25
Location: 23.0°N 86.6°W
Moving: N at 12 mph
Min pressure: 974 mb
Max sustained: 85 mph

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