UPSTATE, S.C. (WSPA) – Thousands of people are cleaning up after Hurricane Helene left a path of destruction from Florida, through the Carolinas and into Tennessee.
There have been thousands of reported downed trees and damage to homes, vehicles and more in several states. If you evacuated, do not return home until local officials say it is safe to do so.
If you are in need of assistance, here is a list of shelters that are open:
Spartanburg County
- Spartanburg Rescue Mission- 189 N. Forest Street, Spartanburg
- G.B. Hodge Center- 365 Hodge Drive, Spartanburg
- Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium, North Church Street
- Benjamin E Mays Family Center – 850 Sunny Acres Road, Pacolet
- Open Sunday from 11 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
- School District 5 will be offering free meals at Byrnes High School on Monday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.
- 150 E Main Street, Duncan
- School District 2 will offer free, hot meals at Shoally Creek Elementary from 12 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. on Monday.
- 3777 Parris Bridge Road, Boiling Springs
- Spartanburg Regional announced that additional charging stations are open for individuals with medical conditions. Residents must bring their equipment, such as oxygen tanks
- Boiling Springs Fire Department, 186 Rainbow Lake Road, Boiling Springs
- Reidville Fire Department, 7450 Reidville Road, Reidville
- Inman City Fire Department, 6 Humphrey Street, Inman
- First Presbyterian Church, 393 E Main Street, Spartanburg
- Open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Greer Relief Indigo Hope Neighborhood Impact Center, 113C Berry Avenue, Greer
- Open from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Croft Fire Department, 370 Cedar Springs Road, Spartanburg
- Arkwright Fire Department, 1070 Southport Road, Spartanburg
- Roebuck Fire Department, 2639 Stone Station Road, Roebuck
- North Spartanburg Fire Department, 8767 Asheville Highway, Spartanburg
Anderson County
- Medical Needs Shelter- For access and information call 1-855-472-3432
- School District 4 will be accessible for those in need of resources on Monday. The facilities will be open from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., and complimentary food will be provided from 12 p.m. until 1 p.m.
- Pendleton High- 7324 SC-187, Anderson
- Mount Lebanon Elementary- 2850 Lebanon Road, Pendleton
- LaFrance Elementary- 550 Williams Street, Pendleton
- Townville Elementary- 105 State Road S-4-565, Townville
- School District 3 will open Flat Rock and Iva Elementary Schools 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. so families can charge any electronic devices. Free food will also be served from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. both days.
Cherokee County
- Cherokee Co. Rescue Mission (men and women)- 227 Henderson Street, Gaffney
- Hopewell Baptist Church- 511 Old Chester Road, Blacksburg
- Will offer food and showers on Monday. People are asked to bring their own towels and shower supplies.
Clemson
- Clemson University- Open Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
- Littlejohn Coliseum- 219 Perimeter Road
- Snow Family Outdoor Fitness and Wellness Complex- 250 Campus View Trail
- Hendrix Student Center – 720 McMillan Road (open 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. Sunday)
Greenwood County
- Greenwood Family YMCA (pets not permitted)- 1760 Calhoun Road
- Greenwood County Emergency Medical Services at 528 Monument Street is hosting T-Mobile’s community support team which is providing free charging and Wi-Fi connectivity for anyone in the area that has communications needs.
Greenville County
- Greenville Rescue Mission (men only)- 575 W Washington Street, Greenville
- Shepherd’s Gate (women and mothers with children)- 11 Regency Hill Drive, Greenville
- Hillcrest High School- 3665 S. Industrial Drive, Simpsonville
- Bon Secours Wellness Arena- Medical needs shelter
- Walmart #640 located on 1451 Woodruff Road has relief stations set up. Showers, portable potties, washers and dryers are on the premises for those who are in need of utilizing the services.
Pickens County
- Glenwood Baptist Church- 325 Saco Lowell Rd, Easley
- According to County Emergency Management, any oxygen-dependent residents can go to their closest fire station to charge portable oxygen concentrators, with the exception of Station 15-1 (Concord Church Road, Pickens) and 15-2 (Wilson Way, Pickens).
Buncombe County
- AB Tech Conference Center- 16 Fernihurst Drive, Asheville (use Victoria Road entrance)
- Medical Emergency Shelter- 10 Genevieve Circle, Asheville
- *This shelter is for individuals who are dependent on equipment requiring power
- A-B Technical Community College, 340 Victoria Road, Asheville
- First Baptist Church Swannanoa- 503 Park Street, Swannanoa
- WNC Agricultural Center- 1301 Fanning Bridge Road, Fletcher
- Buncombe County has set up a Google form to report missing people: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeCZbJHoOE5KREOtf22XQAIfevMzEYtpZVOsSlJNnzUP4Lvzw/viewform?pli=1
Haywood County
- Haywood County Government Armory- 285 Armory Drive, Clyde
- A water tanker is stationed at the Canton Plaza off New Clyde Highway for those in need of water from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, September 30. The limit is one gallon per person and individuals are asked to bring their own containers.
Henderson County
- Henderson County Recreation Center- 708 S. Grove Street, Hendersonville
- Henderson County is mobilizing six Resource Hub locations for water distribution and other supplies as they become available. Distribution will start at noon on Monday, September 30th.
- Etowah Elementary, 320 Etowah School Road Etowah, NC
- Rugby Middle, 3345 Haywood Rd, Hendersonville, NC
- East Henderson, 150 Eagle Pride Dr, East Flat Rock, NC
- North Henderson, 35 Fruitland Rd, Hendersonville, NC
- Mills River Town Hall, 124 Town Center Drive. Mills River, NC
- Fletcher Town Hall, 300 Old Cane Creek Rd Fletcher, NC
- The Henderson County Transfer Station will be open Monday, September 30 at 7 am and will accept storm debris with the normal fees. Cash, check or established accounts only.
Jackson County
- Cashiers Recreation Center- 355 Frank Allen Road, Cashiers
- Jackson County Department of Aging- 100 County Services Park, Sylva
McDowell County
- Glenwood Baptist Shelter- 155 Glenwood Baptist Church Road, Marion
- McDowell County Senior Center- 155 Spaulding Road, Marion
- First Baptist Church of Old Fort- 203 E Main Street, Old Fort
- Glenwood Baptist Church- 1550 Old US 221 South, Marion
- A donation drop off center has been established at Universal Advanced Manufacturing Center, 634 College Drive, Marion. Drop offs accepted 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Volunteers are accepting donations of bottled water, baby supplies including diapers and wipes and non-perishable food items.
Polk County
- Polk County High School- 1681 NC 108 Highway East, Columbus
Transylvania County
- Pisgah Forest Baptist Church- 494 Hendersonville Highway, Pisgah Forest
Yancey County
- South Toe Elementary School- 139 South Toe School Road, Burnsville
- West Yancey Volunteer Fire Department- 6557 US Highway 19, Burnsville
As national aid begins to pour into the area, FEMA is offering additional tips:
- Get in Touch: Family and friends of those who have been affected by the storm are urged to check on your loved ones. With limited cell service, experts recommend checking activity on social media sites. The American Red Cross said for the best chance of getting through, it’s best to call during off-peak hours.
- Text. Don’t Call: Emergency Management is urging you to only call when necessary. Texting will leave the lines open and clear up cell space for emergencies.
- Stay out of Floodwaters: Officials said people experiencing flooding should not wade through flood waters, which could contain debris, chemicals, waste, and wildlife, as well as downed powerlines that can electrically charge the water. There have already been several reported deaths during and after Hurricane Helene as a result of this.
- Use Generators Safely: Experts urge you to keep generators outdoors and at least 20 feet away from windows, doors, and attached garages. Make sure to keep it dry and protected from rain or flooding.
- Document Damage: For those who are beginning to clean up, be sure to document any property damage with photos or videos. Contact your insurance company for assistance and the next steps to take.
- Cleanup Safety: EMS across several states are seeing high volumes of calls. Officials are urging you to use extreme caution when cleaning up storm damage, which includes operating chainsaws and removing debris. If you do not know how to properly operate equipment, leave it to the professionals.
South Carolina leaders are aware many people have sustained damage from Hurricane Helene. If your home or business has been impacted by damage, download the SC Emergency Manager App to report damage for damage assessment.
Download the App here:
App Store: https://apple.co/2jXnDNE
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2lAXrZI
Once the app is downloaded, follow these steps:
*Select “Tools” from the toolbar at the bottom.
*Select “Damage Assessment” and fill in your information.
*Please take photos of all the damage and debris you can before cleaning up.
Here are some additional organizations that are providing support for those impacted by the storm:
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
Local News
Comments / 0