Greenville Residents Rally Together After Tropical Storm Helene
Greenville, SC – It’s hard to believe that just a few weeks ago, residents here were facing one of the most challenging natural disasters they’ve ever seen: Tropical Storm Helene. For Christian Sailer, who moved to this charming city from Southern California only three years ago, it was a wake-up call unlike any he had ever encountered. “I’m from Southern California. I was nine years old during the Northridge earthquake in 1994. This was almost as bad as COVID for me,” Sailer recounted with a sense of disbelief. “COVID lasted two years; this lasted seven-and-a-half days where essentially our whole life was reduced to an ice chest.”
As the storm made its way through Greenville on September 27, it left a trail of damage and devastation. In the days leading up to Helene, Sailer made a proactive decision to chop down a leaning tree in his yard. “We noticed that if there was another hurricane, it could possibly fall on our cars or it could fall on our neighbor’s home,” he said while hauling a truck bed overflowing with tree branches and leaves to the Blackberry Valley Residential Waste and Recycling Center. It’s clear that in these hard times, folks like Sailer are taking matters into their own hands.
Cleanup Efforts in Full Swing
Four weeks post-storm, Greenville County has been hard at work picking up the pieces. According to spokesperson Bob Mihalic, around 195,000 cubic yards of debris have been collected since the pickup began on October 2 and will continue “well into November.” Residents have access to three temporary sites where they can drop off storm debris, and Mihalic assures that the collected material will not end up in the landfill but will instead be mulched and repurposed by contractors.
Just down the road in Spartanburg County, cleanup crews have collected over 120,000 cubic yards of debris and are averaging a staggering 5,000 cubic yards a day. These hardworking teams are operating 12-hour shifts, seven days a week, as they tackle the monumental task ahead. Spartanburg County spokesperson Scottie Kay Blackwell mentioned they anticipate the cleanup efforts could extend into 2025.
Life Disrupted
The storm also wreaked havoc on power lines, leaving more than 425,000 homes and businesses across the Upstate without electricity. Sailer and his family were among those affected, relying on their backyard barbecue to cook meals for nearly eight days. “I love barbecuing, but at the same time, I want to have scrambled eggs. I want to have a microwaveable meal,” he lamented. With every day a race against the fading daylight, the family quickly had to figure out dinner plans while also running out to buy ice.
After the power returned, the Sailers faced the heartbreaking task of throwing away all the food in their fridge. Sailer applied for a $750 hurricane relief check from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) but was denied due to minimal home damage. “We really just applied so we can get the $750 to refill our fridge and freezer,” he said, expressing his hope to reapply for assistance as he believes there may have been an error in the application process.
FEMA Steps In
As of October 19, FEMA has approved over $154 million in federal disaster assistance for more than 211,047 households in South Carolina recovering from Helene. The assistance covers necessities such as food, water, and emergency supplies, making it easier for families to get back on their feet. For those in need, FEMA encourages visiting disasterassistance.gov or calling their helpline.
Preparedness for the Future
In the aftermath of the storm, Sailer learned a crucial lesson about preparedness. He advises everyone to stock up on bottled water, cash, and non-perishable food items. “Law enforcement resources were all over the place. They had much more important things to do. With supplies being so limited, it felt like there’s nobody that’s going to check in on us,” he remarked, emphasizing the importance of self-sufficiency in tough situations.
As Greenville continues to recover and rebuild from the storm, it’s evident that the community spirit shines brighter than any cloud that may roll in. Residents are banding together as they navigate the challenges presented by Helene, proving that even in tough times, the heart of Greenville remains strong.
