EMA Director Jerry Harmon gives update on aid efforts after Hurricane Helene

On October 9th Fire Chief Jerry Harmon detailed how Sumter County Fire assisted in the relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. “I want to start by saying thank you to the citizens of this community, Sumter County, and surrounding counties, for the donations, the supplies.” He stated the response was overwhelming.

Harmon gave numbers. “We’re not the only department collecting donations, and we’ve been able to take, probably in the neighborhood of $8-10,000 worth of supplies and foods.”

Harmon also praised the efforts of Commissioner Reid to raise money. “I know Reid Brothers Irrigation, with Commissioner Reid, he’s probably in excess of $30-40,000 of donations, food, dog food, diapers, wippies, for these communities. And he’s doing it with his with 18-wheel trailers.”

Harmon detailed efforts at Hazlehurst. “On day one, we were able to go over to Hazlehurst. We took one of our tankers to Hazlehurst with personnel, and it stayed there for five days.”

He told of the supplies they were able to provide. “The first load to Hazlehurst, we took two coolers, two of our biggest coolers, full of just meats, bacon, sausage, those kind of things, and when we got there, they didn’t know where their next meal was coming from for those firefighters the next morning.” He stated that fire departments from Cherokee County, Lee County, Webster County, and Peach County were all there to provide assistance.

Harmon told how they were able to help in other areas as well. “We took two pallets of water to Wrightsville Fire Department, and then this past Saturday we were able to take well over a $1,000 worth of canned goods, again baby wipes, diapers, clothing and water to Wadley Georgia.”

Harmon described the conditions at Hazlehurst. “About the last 30 miles before we got into Hazlehurst, it started looking like a war zone over there.” He told how deenergized power lines were down. “You can tell where they cleaned the roads for the last 30 miles, we ran over power lines that were still on the roadway.”

Harmon detailed the reactions of those suffering from the damage, stating some of them were in tears. He told how when they left Hazlehurst, the next three towns they went through were without power. “We couldn’t even see because it was dark, no red lights, no power.”

He told of the widespread severity. “A good friend of mine’s fire chief down in Valdosta and I was able to talk to him, and he said that’s the worst he’s ever in his life seen. Valdosta is destroyed. And we also sent a team to Valdosta with Georgia Search and Rescue.”

Harmon told of the appreciation for the efforts of Sumter County. “When we pulled up and Hazlehurst and those guys come out and unloaded that food, everybody there is very appreciative for what’s going on and the help that they’re getting, because it should have been Sumter County. Why it took that Easterly turn, who knows. But it did, and in the event that something like this happens to Sumter County. . . we rely on those counties that were not affected to do the same thing for us.”

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