One year after Hurricane Helene carved a devastating path of destruction from Florida through the Carolinas and into the Tennessee Valley, recovery efforts continue as South Carolina emergency management officials reflect on the lessons learned during the historic storm.
Hurricane Helene made landfall along Florida’s Big Bend on Sept. 26, 2024, as a powerful Category 4 hurricane, but its rain and wind energy traveled hundreds of miles up the Appalachians and into the Tennessee Valley.
NOAA reported more than 250 people across multiple states lost their lives, with at least 49 of them in South Carolina.
The South Carolina Emergency Management Division said the storm was the deadliest in the state’s modern history - claiming even more lives than Hurricane Hugo.
Recovery efforts began immediately after the storm and continue today.
According to state officials, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has provided more than $323 million in assistance to homeowners, more than $145 million in low-interest loans have been approved and the state has embarked on about $1.3 billion worth of storm-related projects.
Most of the assistance is devoted to the 28 hardest-hit counties, including Aiken in the Augusta metro. Officials in Aiken reported a dozen deaths, many caused by falling trees in winds that gusted upward of hurricane strength.
Local utilities also reported a near-total electrical outage across the county, highlighting an extreme vulnerability during and after a storm.
For emergency managers, Helene underscored the importance of communication and resilience planning.
Paul Matthews, director of the Aiken County Department of Emergency Management, said the county upgraded its software to improve coordination during emergencies.
Alongside technology improvements, the county said it also stepped up its public outreach to ensure residents are better prepared for disasters year-round.
“We are also advocating that the public learn the lost art of AM/FM broadcast reception,” Matthews said. “When cell towers and power grids are down, AM/FM radio could be the only way the public can access important information.”
The prolonged power outages also inspired legislative action to ease problems encountered during the hours and days after a storm.
Earlier this year, the South Carolina Emergency Fuel Supply Act was introduced in the state Senate, which would require gas stations within a half-mile of an evacuation route to have generator hookups.
Despite the push for changes, the proposal appears to have stalled in the legislature, and it remains unclear whether lawmakers will take the measure up again.
As the state continues to rebuild, officials emphasize that recovery is not just about replacing what was lost but also about finding weaknesses to increase sustainability for the future.
“While the road to recovery is long, we have made measurable progress over the last year,” Kim Stenson, director of the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, said in a statement. “We know recovery doesn’t stop after the storm leaves. It’s a process, and we’ll continue working together until the job is done.”
