Town to begin Matthew storm debris removal

Town to begin Matthew storm debris removal

by Marquel Coaxum, Interim Communications Manager

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (Oct. 12, 2016) - The Town of Mount Pleasant will begin a town-wide storm debris pick up starting Monday morning, in an effort to remove vegetative debris, construction debris and other damaged items related to Hurricane Matthew.

The Town is coordinating with Charleston County’s debris removal contractor, AshBritt Environmental, to facilitate removal.  The intent is for AshBritt to conduct two sweeps of the town to ensure everything is collected.  To make the most efficient use of resources, residents are encouraged to place as much material as possible at the curbside prior to the initial sweep that starts Monday.

To expedite the debris removal process, Charleston County is asking residents to separate their storm debris into six main categories; household garbage, construction debris, vegetative debris, hazardous waste, large appliances and electronics.  Household garbage will be collected by the Town on your normal collection day utilizing your town issued container.  All other categories will be collected by AshBritt.

Residents should place the separated items into debris piles on the curbside, within 15 feet of the road, if possible, not in the roadway or on the sidewalk. Do not lean items against trees, water or gas meters, telephone poles or power towers, in an effort to protect those items from damage during pickup.

Residents are also encouraged to pair with neighbors to consolidate waste piles, which will make the removal process proceed faster.  Drivers should be cognizant that equipment on the roadways may cause minor delays and are asked to be patient and attentive during these occurrences. 

For more information on storm debris pick-up, contact the Town of Mount Pleasant Transportation Department by phone at 843-856-3080

Beware of Scammers

State Joint Information Center

Phone: 803-737-8515  |  Social: @SCEMD

 

Residents Should Ask to See Identification of

Hurricane Matthew Relief Workers

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Residents in affected counties are encouraged to be mindful of possible scams associated with the recovery efforts of hurricane Matthew. Thousands of disaster workers will be coming into the state from all over the country. People affected by Matthew should keep in mind:

·         Ask for proper identification of service providers.

·         Legitimate service providers will not ask for personal information such as the name of your bank, social security numbers or any other identifying information.

·         If you feel unsafe when individuals come upon your property, call 911 for local law enforcement assistance.

Any residents with questions about ongoing Hurricane Matthew response and recovery actions should call the toll-free South Carolina Public Information Phone System 1-866-246-0133.Visit scemd.org for more information from all state agencies that form the S.C. Emergency Response Team. Follow @SCEMD on Facebook and Twitter for continuous information.

Town of Mount Pleasant Government Offices

Mount Pleasant, SC - The Town of Mount Pleasant announces that all government offices will resume normal operations on October 10, 2016. No further curfews will be implemented within the Town of Mount Pleasant regarding the recovery efforts of Hurricane Matthew. The Planning Department will be ready to issue building permits on Monday to assist those needing repairs. 

Municipal court will also be in session on October 10, 2016 beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Garbage & Debris Collection

Mount Pleasant, SC - The Town of Mount Pleasant Public Services Division will resume normal garbage collection on October 10, 2016. Coordination with Charleston County for vegetative debris removal is ongoing. We ask the community to be patient as debris removal could take several weeks to complete due to high volumes.

Traffic Signals Broken

Flooded Roadways - Updated 10/8/2016 5:55 p.m.

Below is a list of flooded roadways within the Town of Mount Pleasant:


Chimney Bluff/Stratford Ln.
Wando Park Blvd.
Center Lake Dr.
Lakeshore
Back section of Rivertowne on the Wando
Dunes West Guard Station
Palmetto Hall
Carolina Park around the traffic circle
Darrell Creek
Charleston National Country Club
Col. Vanderhorst Circle at Waring Way

News Release from the State Joint Information Center

Hurricane Matthew

NEWS RELEASE 11

For Immediate Release

Contact: State Joint Information Center

Phone: 803-737-8515  |  Social: @SCEMD

Be Aware of Safety and Health Dangers

Columbia, S.C. – Residents should be aware of potential dangers from Hurricane Matthew as county emergency managers have reported downed power lines, fallen trees, and flooded and washed out roads in the Lowcountry, Midlands and Pee Dee regions of South Carolina.

As hazardous conditions may delay response time for those in need of help, the S.C. Emergency Management Division recommends the following precautions to be taken in an effort to mitigate risk for citizens and first responders.

Stay inside and off the roads. You will not be able to return to your home immediately. Even after the storm passes it could take a few days before emergency crews have assessed all areas for safety hazards or any necessary rescue operations.Do not attempt to re-enter your community until state and local public safety officials determine it is safe for you to return.

Avoid flood waters. Do not use area streams, rivers and the ocean for drinking, bathing or swimming because of the possibility that contaminants and wastewater may have entered them as a result of the storm. Avoid wading in murky water because broken glass, nails, metal fragments or other objects might be in the water.

Loss of power and flooding pose a threat to food supplies. As a general rule “when in doubt, throw it out.” Keep your refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible.

Take precautions before using tap water for drinking or cooking purposes after the storm. Listen to radio and television reports about the safety of the public water supplies or call your water utility. Use only bottled or stored water until it is determined that the water is safe to drink. If bottled or stored water is not available and the safety of the water is in question, the water should be boiled vigorously for at least one minute and then cooled before use.

For more information visit scemd.org or follow @SCEMD on Twitter and Facebook.

After a Hurricane Tips from Ready.gov

• Listen to local officials for updates and instructions.
• Check-in with family and friends by texting or using social media.
• Return home only when authorities indicate it is safe.
• Watch out for debris and downed power lines.
• Avoid walking or driving through flood waters. Just 6 inches of moving water can knock you down, and fast-moving water can sweep your vehicle away.
• Avoid flood water as it may be electrically charged from underground or downed power lines and may hide dangerous debris or places where the ground is washed away.
• Photograph the damage to your property in order to assist in filing an insurance claim.
• Do what you can to prevent further damage to your property, (e.g., putting a tarp on a damaged roof), as insurance may not cover additional damage that occurs after the storm.

Statement by the SCDOT Regarding the Ravenel Bridge Closing

Out of an abundance of caution and due to the complex design of the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. cable-stay bridge, SCDOT has closed the bridge until an engineering inspection can be completed. Specialized engineers will begin their review as soon as weather conditions permit. 

SCDOT engineers are taking these steps to ensure the safety of the motoring public. The design of the Ravenel Bridge allows for some movement of the bridge elements, but Hurricane Matthew is the bridge’s first exposure to significant storm force winds. SCDOT is able to remotely monitor sensors on the bridge; however, SCDOT’s top bridge engineer recommends an on-site, physical review of the bridge before it is opened to traffic. SCDOT intends to return the bridge to service as soon as possible, pending the outcome of the physical inspection. 

Lee Floyd SCDOT Contact 803-737-1493 or 803-737-1290 

Curfew Starts at Midnight

Press Release from Columbia

NEWS RELEASE 10

For Immediate Release

DANGEROUS CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT SOUTH CAROLINA

COLUMBIA, S.C. ­- The S.C. Emergency Response Team strongly reminds all citizens coastal evacuation orders are still in effect. Hurricane Matthew began impacting the state this morning with hurricane and tropical storm-force winds, heavy rain and flooding along the coast and far inland, and forecasters say hazardous conditions will continue to affect evacuated areas for at least the next 12 hours.

From Hilton Head to North Myrtle Beach, citizens are asked to stay away from evacuated areas until conditions improve and the danger subsides.

The S.C. Emergency Management Division website, scemd.org, lists emergency shelter status statewide and is updated in real-time by the S.C. Department of Social Services. Coastal evacuees without internet access are urged to call the state Public Information Phone System at 1-866-246-0133. For more information visit scemd.org or follow @SCEMD on Twitter and Facebook.

Road Closure

Longpoint Rd. is shut down between Parkway Dr. and the traffic Circle at Needlerush Parkway. Those that live in Rice Planters must use Whipple Rd.

Bridge Conditions

Area bridges are now in condition red.  Sustained winds have reached 40mph. It is unsafe to for the public to travel over these bridges. Anyone who drives over bridges against this advisory is doing so at their own risk.

Hurricane Matthew Communications

Mount Pleasant, SC – The Town of Mount Pleasant Police Department would like to remind citizens of the communications channels being used during Hurricane Matthew. Critical information will be shared on these social media platforms throughout the storm.

Twitter - @mountpleasantpd

Facebook - www.facebook.com/mountpleasantpd

Nextdoor - http://www.nextdoor.com

Blog - http://www.mppdnews.blogspot.com

The Town of Mount Pleasant Police Department will also utilize their smartphone app which sends critical notifications directly to your phone.

Smartphone App Downloads:

iOS- https://appsto.re/us/ieL5P.i

Android- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.netgalaxystudios.tomppd&hl=en

Hurricane Matthew 10/8/2016 5 a.m. Update

KEY MESSAGES:

1.  The western eyewall of Matthew, which contains hurricane-force
winds, is now moving over the northern coast of Georgia and
the southern coast of South Carolina and should spread up the coast
during the day.

2.  Hurricane winds increase very rapidly with height, and occupants
of high-rise buildings along the coast are at particular risk of
strong winds.  Winds at the top of a 30-story building will average
one Saffir-Simpson category higher than the winds near the surface.

3.  The water hazards remain, even if the core of Matthew remains
offshore.  These include the danger of life-threatening inundation
from storm surge, as well as inland flooding from heavy rains from
Florida to North Carolina.

4.  The National Hurricane Center is issuing Potential Storm Surge
Flooding Maps, and Prototype Storm Surge Watch/Warning Graphics for
Matthew.  It is important to remember that the Potential Storm Surge
Flooding Map does not represent a forecast of expected inundation,
but rather depicts a reasonable worst-case scenario -- the amount of
inundation that has a 10 percent chance of being exceeded.

Impassable Roads 10/8/2016 4:05 a.m.

Flash Flood Warning including Charleston County

Charleston County School District Report

From the School District:

Charleston County School District schools will remain closed for students on Monday, October 10, 2016.

This decision was made for several reasons:

Hundreds of thousands of people (including many of our employees) that evacuated our area will be trying to return on Sunday or Monday;

Current storm projections lead us to believe there may be water damage in some of our schools; and

Several of our schools are being used as shelters. Deep cleaning will be required for these facilities, and most likely, our hard-working staff will not be able to finish those tasks until sometime on Monday.

A decision has not been made at this time regarding staff schedules for Monday.

Please continue to stay safe and follow local law enforcement’s instructions.

Hurricane Matthew 10/7/2016 5 p.m. Update

KEY MESSAGES:

1.  We have been very fortunate that Matthew's strongest winds have
remained a short distance offshore of the Florida Coast thus far,
but this should not be a reason to let down our guard.  Only a
small deviation to the left of the forecast track could bring these
winds onshore.  The western eyewall of Matthew, which contains
hurricane-force winds, is expected to move over or very near the
coast of northeastern Florida and Georgia through tonight.

2.  Hurricane winds increase very rapidly with height, and occupants
of high-rise buildings in the Jacksonville area are at particular
risk of strong winds.  Winds at the top of a 30-story building will
average one Saffir-Simpson category higher than the winds near the
surface.

3.  The water hazards remain, even if the core of Matthew remains
offshore.  These include the danger of life-threatening inundation
from storm surge, as well as inland flooding from heavy rains from
Florida to North Carolina.

4.  The National Hurricane Center is issuing Potential Storm Surge
Flooding Maps, and Prototype Storm Surge Watch/Warning Graphics for
Matthew.  It is important to remember that the Potential Storm Surge
Flooding Map does not represent a forecast of expected inundation,
but rather depicts a reasonable worst-case scenario -- the amount of
inundation that has a 10 percent chance of being exceeded.

Hurricane Matthew Patrols

We wanted to take moment to let our citizens know that all of our men and women have been working hard since Wednesday to safeguard our community. These officers and civilians have been on 12 hour shifts and have not left to see their families. 

We will continue to be here throughout the storm protecting our community. An active presence of officers will be in the neighborhoods and patrolling businesses until conditions deteriorate to the point where we must come off of the road. We will be at the ready and will respond to calls as soon as conditions allow. 

We also want to say thank you to our Fire Department and Public Services. They have been side by side with us as we prepared the Town for the Hurricane Matthew.

Everyone be safe!