City of Charleston September 11 Hurricane Florence PM Update

The city emergency operations are at OPCON 1 as officials assist the state with the I-26 lane reversal, continue to monitor Hurricane Florence’s track and prepare for potential impacts to the Charleston area.

Consistent with the ongoing evacuation, non-essential City of Charleston services were suspended at noon today for the duration of the week. The municipal emergency operations center remains open and city employees continue working on storm preparations.

City of Charleston parking garages (except for the Gaillard Center garage) are now open for citizens to park their vehicles for free for the duration of the storm. Parking garage locations can be found on the city’s website here: http://www.charleston-sc.gov/index.aspx?nid=1025.

With the announcement that the Charleston County Bees Ferry Landfill will remain in operation tomorrow, the city of Charleston will collect Tuesday’s garbage and trash routes tomorrow, Wednesday, September 12. Once those routes have been collected, crews will begin collecting Wednesday’s routes, as time permits. This applies to city routes on James Island, the peninsula and in West Ashley inside of I-526.

More than 19,000 sandbags were distributed in the city today. Sandbags will be available tomorrow, while supplies last, at all four locations: the old Piggly Wiggly site on Sumar Street in West Ashley, the Charleston Fire Station at 1985 Bees Ferry Road in West Ashley, the Public Service building at 2150 Milford Street on the peninsula and James Island Town Hall at 1122 Dills Bluff Road.

Charleston Police and Fire Departments assisted with the I-26 lane reversal, canvassed mobile home communities to distribute hurricane safety and evacuation information and visited construction sites to ensure they have been secured.

Public Service employees continued work today clearing storm drains and drainage ditches. They also assisted citizens at the sandbag distribution sites.

Parks employees secured all parks and city facilities, assisted public service clearing storm drains and trimmed street trees.

Housing and Community Development officials provided evacuation information to citizens experiencing homelessness and assisted in the dissemination of information to Charleston Housing Authority residents. ... See more

Parking Information

September 10 City of Charleston Hurricane Florence PM Update

Due to the evacuation order issued by Governor Henry McMaster earlier today, city offices will close tomorrow, Tuesday, September 11, at 12 p.m. and will remain closed through Friday, September 14.

The city has shifted to OPCON 2 as officials continue to monitor Hurricane Florence’s track and prepare for potential impacts to the Charleston area.

Earlier today, city emergency management officials held a press conference, which can be viewed here: https://www.facebook.com/CityCharleston/videos/232234884110021/

Garbage and trash collections will not occur tomorrow through Friday, as all public service employees assist with storm preparations.

Beginning at 2 p.m. tomorrow, city parking garages, excluding the Gaillard Center garage, will be open for citizens to park their cars for free for the duration of the storm.

Self-serve sandbags will be available to residents through Wednesday, September 12, or until supplies run out, at four locations, the old Piggly Wiggly site on Sumar Street in West Ashley, the Charleston Fire Station at 1985 Bees Ferry Road in West Ashley, the Public Service building at 2150 Milford Street on the peninsula, and James Island Town Hall at 1122 Dills Bluff Road.

All city commission, committee, and council meetings, including City Council, scheduled for September 11-14 have been postponed until further notice.

The city’s Hurricane Information webpage can be accessed at http://www.charleston-sc.gov/hurricane-information. Updates on the city’s preparations for Hurricane Florence will be released and posted to the webpage as new information becomes available.

For the most accurate and up-to-date weather forecasts, residents should stay tuned to the National Hurricane Center (www.nhc.noaa.gov/) and National Weather Service Charleston (www.weather.gov/chs/) websites, as well as local media and the FEMA app.

The city of Charleston Citizens Services Desk will be staffed beginning at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning to answer citizen’s questions about the city’s preparations for the storm. Additional hurricane preparedness information can be found at www.scemd.org. ... See more

City of Charleston September 10 Hurricane Florence update