What SCEMD wants you to know about hurricane season

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) – South Carolina residents are no strangers to hurricane season, and it officially started Sunday.
Kim Stenson, director of the South Carolina Emergency Division, said it's crunch time.
'Prepare while you've got the time to prepare because doing the last-minute piece of it is probably not going to always work very well,' said Stenson. 'So certainly, need to take a look at those resources, build your plan and be ready to take action if you need to.'
Stenson said the best time to prepare for a hurricane is before one forms. June 1 was the first day of hurricane season, and it runs through November 30.
'Stay in tune with what's going on. Listen to your trusted sources for information, especially at the local level or trusted local sources, and if you're encouraged to evacuate, or asked to evacuate, you should heed that warning,' Stenson said.
There have been several natural disasters recently, like Hurricane Helene and wildfires. Stenson said those events shouldn't change people's preparation but, no matter where you live, coast or inland, you're not off the hook. Storms can bring flash flooding and strong winds.
'Well, we don't really expect any big changes in terms of that. I mean, we've known about these risks for a number of years,' said Stenson. 'For several years, we have encouraged people to be aware that a hurricane event is not just a coastal county event, but it can occur anywhere in South Carolina in terms of the effects of it; the wind and the rain, etc. '
Stenson added that communication with FEMA is still evolving. They have not heard anything about getting fewer resources this year.
'We don't have, you know, all the information in terms of what we think may end up in that particular sphere but, right now we're expecting to get the same level of support from FEMA that we get every year and, you know, that may change later on, but we're not expecting anything right now,' Stenson said.
Stenson said one resource you could use is the SCEMD mobile app. It gives you access to evacuation routes, emergency alerts, and checklists for your family and pets. You can also head to their website for more information.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Miami Herald

a day ago

• Miami Herald

What happens if your power goes out in a storm? FPL has some advice

Will your power zap off during a summer storm? Now that hurricane season is here, Florida Light & Power says now is the time to double down on preparations, including what to know about the utility's work and what happens in a power outage. Conlan Kennedy, Bianca Soriano and Jack Eble of FPL's communications team sat down with the Miami Herald in early June and offered advice for this Q&A: MORE: Can you lower your FPL bill this summer? How to set your AC and other tips What should customers be doing right now, before a hurricane hits? Have a plan. That will make sure you're ready to make the best decisions for you and your family. Make sure you have checked batteries, radios and flashlights. Have phone chargers available, including a car charger. What about generators? If you're planning to use a generator, now would be the time to make sure you fully understand how to operate that equipment safely in your home. FPL can visit your home or business to help you with that. Do you have a loved one that has medically sensitive equipment that requires electricity? What's your plan for that person whether back-up power or relocation? What has FPL done year-round to prepare for storms? We have a smart grid that we're upgrading all year. It help us speed up the restoration process. In 2024 — for hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton — it helped customers avoid more than 800,000 outages. We've been investing in smart grids since 2011. It helps improve our day-to-day reliability. How does the smart grid work? Smart switches can go on main lines or neighborhood power lines. With smart meters, the meters communicate with devices on the grid which communicate with mobile diagnostic centers throughout the state. The grid is communicating with itself. We no longer have to go house to house throughout the state. Is there anything consumers can do to reduce the probability of a power outage? That's the reason we invest year round in the grid. When storms come, we emphasize safety. If you feel your home is susceptible through your roof or window, we advise you unplug any unnecessary equipment, and in some cases turn off the breaker. Never plug in anything if standing water is in your house. If you see damaged electrical equipment or a downed power line after the storm, you can call 911 and then FPL. Stay away from flooded areas. What else should people be aware as a storm threatens? Before the storm, you'll see mini-cities where crews are set up, staging sites. These are areas we believe will see the hardest impact from the storm. When a storm passes and conditions are safe, crews cans spring right into action. As long as wind speeds are below 35 mph, we can safely restore power. We can begin restoration process even before a storm makes landfall. How soon will customers know about getting back their power? FPL will provide initial estimate time of restoration for all customers affected roughly 24 hours after a storm has cleared the area. This allows damage assessment teams to sweep the area and provide valuable information to restoration crews. How do you prioritize whose power to restore? We start with critical infrastructure like hospitals and 911 call centers. Then community essentials like grocery stores and gas stations. Meanwhile, households are automatically getting their electricity back. Then, going house-by-house in the hard-hit neighborhoods. If everybody else around you has power and you don't, that means it's customer-owned equipment that's damaged. That would be a time to give us a call What are other FPL resources during hurricane season? FPL has the following additional information online: ▪ Storm Center: ▪ Tips for businesses: ▪ Tips for homes: ▪ Power Tracker: ▪ FPL social media: The utility is on Facebook, X, YouTube and Instagram. It also has tools in the App Store or Google Play, or by texting the word 'App' to MyFPL (69375).

Yahoo

2 days ago

• Yahoo

Georgia's recovery: Over $377M in federal aid approved post-Hurricane Helene, Tropical Storm Debby

The Brief FEMA has approved over 402,000 applications for disaster assistance in Georgia, including $12 million in rental aid for displaced families. More than $629 million in Public Assistance has been authorized for Georgia's public infrastructure, aiding debris removal and emergency management. Survivors are encouraged to engage with FEMA for housing solutions and explore available resources like free legal assistance and economic injury disaster loans. ATLANTA - Federal emergency officials say recovery efforts remain underway in Georgia following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Debby, with more than $377 million in federal aid approved for survivors to date. What we know As of June 20, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved over 402,000 applications for disaster assistance. That total includes more than $12 million in rental assistance to more than 4,960 Georgia families, and housing arrangements—temporary and long-term—have been secured for nearly 365 displaced households. Federal aid has also extended to Georgia's public infrastructure. FEMA has authorized more than $629 million in Public Assistance to help communities with debris removal and emergency management costs. To date, more than 40.1 million cubic yards of storm debris have been cleared. What they're saying "FEMA remains committed to helping survivors recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Debby," said FEMA spokesman Mario Boone. "Survivors are reminded that FEMA is still on the ground in Georgia to assist with your recovery needs." What you can do FEMA is contacting eligible survivors by phone to discuss long-term housing solutions. Boone urged residents to answer calls, even those from unfamiliar area codes, as they may contain important updates or assistance opportunities. Farmers and ranchers who suffered uninsured or underinsured losses are encouraged to reach out, as they may qualify for help replacing essential work-related tools, equipment, and supplies. Low-income survivors affected by the storms may also be eligible for free legal assistance through FEMA's Disaster Legal Services (DLS) program. Services include help with home repair contracts, landlord disputes, insurance claims, and FEMA appeals. More information is available at The deadline to apply for economic injury disaster loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration is June 30. For general questions, residents can visit or check their assistance application status at The Source FEMA provided this update on Hurricane Helene relief in Georgia.

Hamilton Spectator

3 days ago

• Hamilton Spectator

Flooding and rock slides close heavily damaged I-40 section in Smoky Mountains

HARTFORD, Tenn. (AP) — Heavy rain, flooding and a rock slide have again closed a section of the major cross country highway Interstate 40 along its narrow corridor through the Great Smoky Mountains. The slide and flood happened Wednesday afternoon around mile marker 450 in Tennessee, just to the west of the state line with North Carolina, the Tennessee Department of Transportation said on social media. Crews continued to work Thursday to get the water and rock off the highway and had not released when they think the road could be reopened, the DOT said. Engineers have found significant damage on both the highway and nearby ramps which was more extensive than originally thought, Republican Tennessee Rep. Jeremy Faison said on social media. 'Several areas remain under water, and there are potentially compromised slopes. Geotechnical engineers are on-site today to assess the stability of those slopes,' wrote Faison, who represents the area. The damaged section is part of 12 miles (19 kilometers) of I-40 in North Carolina and Tennessee that was washed away or heavily damaged by flooding that roared through the Pigeon River gorge during Hurricane Helene in late September. Crews repaired and shored up enough of the old highway to open one narrow lane in each direction in March. The lanes are separated by a curb several inches high that had to be removed to let vehicles stuck by the flooding and rockslide to turn around and go the other way. About 2.5 to 3.5 inches (63 mm to 89 mm) of rain fell in the area over about three hours, according to the National Weather Service. The permanent fix to stabilize what's left of the road will involve driving long steel rods into bedrock below the road, filling them with grout and spraying concrete on the cliff face to hold them in place. It will take years. I-40 runs from Wilmington. North Carolina to Barstow, California, and any detour around the Great Smoky Mountain section is dozens of miles. Trucks have gotten stuck on twisty narrow mountain roads and are banned on another major highway through the area U.S. 441 through Great Smoky Mountains National Park.