Emergency services in Spartanburg offer safety tips during Hurricane Helene

SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – Spartanburg County Emergency Services said that they have been preparing for potential problem areas that may occur this week.

The continuous rain on Thursday night has saturated the ground for overnight, when the bulk of the severe winds are expected.

“We’re expecting a significant amount of trees and power lines to probably come down because of the saturated soil,” said Doug Bryson, Director of the Spartanburg County Emergency Services.

Crew members said they have been working together all week to ensure equipment is available for any scenario, and additional help is also on the way.

“We have some crews from other parts of the state coming in about 6 o’clock this evening,” said Bryson. “We have sleeping quarters and showers, so they’ll basically take turns on shifts monitoring … we have multiple radio systems.”

Bryson said he wants people to avoid flooded roads, and drivers should limit their travel to as little as possible.

“The saying is turn around, don’t drown. More people die in hurricanes from drowning than any other cause,” said Bryson.

Crews said storms like Helene are all about reaction. The most important thing is to ensure they have the equipment needed beforehand, which will make responses quicker and more efficient.

Avoiding the roads is for your own safety, but Bryson said it will also help responders get to emergencies quicker as well, with less people on the road.

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