Sept. 12, 2017 @ 6:17 pm
Sept. 12, 2017 @ 11 am
Governor McMaster expected to hold a press conference at 10:00 AM. Sheriff P.J. Tanner will follow immediately after.
The weather overnight had no significant additional impact on Beaufort County. The South Carolina Department of Transportation is currently inspected roadways, bridges and causeways to ensure they are safe for the volume of traffic expected during reentry. Governor McMaster is expected to hold a press conference at 10:00 AM to address reentry to the barrier islands of Beaufort County. Sheriff P.J. Tanner will address the public immediately after the Governor. Sheriff Tanner’s press conference will be held at the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office headquarters building, 2001 Duke Street, Beaufort in the second floor training room. The media, as well as municipal and elected officials are invited and encouraged to attend. Thank you for your patience throughout this major storm event. Sheriff Tanner’s press conference will broadcast live of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page and the County Channel YouTube site.
https://local.nixle.com/alert/6155259/
Good evening, Islanders,
What a day it was! How proud all Islanders should be of their Town, including all First Responders, Emergency Operations Center personnel, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, our utility providers and everyone else who assisted. We weathered an incredible tropical storm and many have sustained some flooding and other damage from the combination of rains and storm surge intersecting with high tide. Irma has all but passed now and our resources are laser-focused on helping one another repair, recover and welcome all of our Islanders home.
About Re-Entry
Your Town is hard at work right now preparing for your return. The Hilton Head Hospital Emergency Room operations are in the process of being restored. The damage assessment of roadways and causeways that is currently being conducted by Beaufort County and SCDOT should be completed by Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. Utility companies and PSD’s are working to repair any outages and service interruptions. As of this writing, 8,100 Palmetto Electric customers on Hilton Head Island are without power. Your Fire Rescue is fully operational.
Our goal is to be prepared to allow re-entry to the Island tomorrow upon the lifting of the evacuation order by the Governor. Once the Governor has lifted the evacuation order, and the Town has simultaneously done likewise, you will be free to cross the bridge without interruption and return to your homes and businesses.
We have sustained damages, and many of our neighbors in Bluffton, Beaufort and Beaufort County have too. Let’s extend to each other compassion, encouragement and assistance. Thank you so much for your patience and support during this time. Your Town looks forward to your return.
Sincerely,
Mayor David Bennett
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A message from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Department as of 6:40 PM on 9/11/17
In consultation with the Governor’s office, the damage assessment of roadways and causeways that is currently being conducted by Beaufort County and SCDOT should be completed by 8:30 A.M. tomorrow morning at which time a decision regarding reentry to the evacuated barrier islands will be publicly announced. Forecasts indicate weather conditions may deteriorate again overnight and add to the flooding already present on the roadways of the Beaufort County’s five barrier islands. The curfew will be in effect tonight at 7:00 PM until 7:00 AM Tuesday morning. Areas under curfew remain the same, which are Beaufort County’s barrier islands: Hilton Head Island, Daufuskie Island, Harbour Island, Hunting Island and Fripp Island. Other areas in the County are not under curfew. We appreciate your patience as we work to assess the infrastructure in an effort to ensure your safe return to the affected barrier islands.
View the BCSO information release here.
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Sept.11, 2017 @ 11:10 am
Hurricane Irma was downgraded to a Tropical Storm this morning. However, conditions are still dangerous. Winds and rain started about 7 am today but have steadily increased.
The weather report at 11 am is that HHI winds are 30 mph now sustained with gusts up to 60 mph. At noon and up to 3 pm, winds are expected to reach 50 sustained with gusts up to 80 mph. The storm may start decreasing some after 3 pm. But even at 11 pm, wind gusts up to 50 mph are possible. Water in the PD lagoon is up between 1 and 2 feet due to rain. Ocean is up to dunes at Villamare now but high tide is at 12:38 pm. Thus, water may likely reach over dunes. There are only a few people staying in Villamare. PD Security has taken shelter until after the storm and are not manning the PD gates or answering calls. I expect that calls to 911 are still being answered. If you are sheltered in place in Villamare, do not go outside!
Sept. 10, 2017 @ 12 pm
To Villamare Owners:
No one has notified us that they plan to remain in Villamare during the evacuation. The Board is not advising persons to stay. Evacuation has been ordered by the Governor. If you are staying in Villamare, please email your names and contact info to terrywiggs2@gmail.com.
Following is information which we have as of this morning:
As of this morning, Hurricane Irma is a category 4 storm with 130 mile per hour winds moving north-northwest at the southern tip of Florida http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at1.shtml?cone. A hurricane watch and a tropical storm warning are still in effect for Beaufort County. Additionally, a storm surge watch remains in effect with inundation projected at 4-6 feet in Beaufort County beginning tonight into Monday evening. The two storm shelters will be open at 9:00 AM this morning in Beaufort County: Bluffton High School at 12 H.E. McCracken Drive in Bluffton and Battery Creek High School at 1 Blue Dolphin Drive. Palmetto Breeze will be providing bus services to Beaufort County evacuees needing transportation from the following locations resumed this morning at 8:00 AM and will continue until weather conditions are deemed unsafe: – Port Royal Plaza (BI-LO/former Sam’s Club) on Hilton Head Island – Wal-Mart on Lady’s Island Residents and guests on Harbour, Hunting and Fripp islands and those from other areas in Beaufort County needing transportation are encouraged to call the Palmetto Breeze Evacuation Hotline 843-757-5782. Residents and guests taking the ferry from Daufuskie Island can also access their services by calling the hotline telephone number. The last ferry leaving Daufuskie Island departs at 12:00 PM today. The curfew for Beaufort County’s barrier islands went into effect last night. It was largely quiet overnight with no major criminal incidents reported. The curfew will better enable law enforcement to focus on protecting the property of residents who have evacuated. Sheriff P.J. Tanner appreciates your continued compliance with the curfew, which remains in effect over the next two nights: 7:00 PM Sunday night until 7:00 AM Monday morning and again from 7:00 PM Monday night until 7:00 AM Tuesday morning. Hilton Head Island, Daufuskie Island, Harbour Island, Hunting Island and Fripp Island are the only areas under curfew. The County Channel was captured some photographs of this flooding and beach erosion yesterday and posted this information to the County website. The PowerPoint slide show that they created is viewable at https://www.facebook.com/beaufortcountysc/ In addition, video was taken by the County Channel and can be viewed on the following links: https://youtu.be/O08K0jMlLHohttps://youtu.be/ZNF0nYlm4aI https://youtu.be/S3Tp_1HdriQ https://youtu.be/oM4HF4fSFwA Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management continues to closely monitor Hurricane Irma and we will keep you updated with any developments and instructions regarding this storm. There will be additional photographs and videos posted by the County Channel today. For more information on Hurricane Irma please visit the National Weather Service (NWS) Charleston website http://www.weather.gov/chs/. NWS provides updates at 2:00 am, 5:00 am, 8:00 am, 11:00 am, 2:00 pm, 5:00 pm, 8:00 pm and 11:00 pm.
Curfew for Beaufort County’s barrier islands 7:00 PM-7:00 AM starting tonight and in effect through Tuesday morning.
Good Evening, In order to support the mandatory evacuation order, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management has enacted a nighttime curfew during the hours of 7:00 PM until 7:00 AM beginning at 7:00 PM this evening and remaining in place until 7:00 AM on Tuesday, September 12, 2017. This Order may be extended depending upon future storm conditions and potential impacts. The curfew is only in effect for Hilton Head Island, Harbour Island, Hunting Island, Fripp Island and Daufuskie Islands. Areas of Beaufort County not under the mandatory evacuation order will not be subjected to the curfew. That being said, Sheriff P.J. Tanner expressed that he understands the notice of a curfew seems sudden, so we will take the opportunity tonight to educate the public on the importance of having a curfew for law enforcement to protect the property of residents who have evacuated. He asks for your full compliance with the curfew on the following two nights: 7:00 PM Sunday night until 7:00 AM Monday morning and again from 7:00 PM Monday night until 7:00 AM Tuesday morning. Sheriff Tanner appreciates your cooperation with the curfew. A Tropical Storm Warning is now in effect for Beaufort County. A Tropical Storm Warning means that Tropical Storm force winds (sustained winds of 39 to 73 miles per hour) are expected to occur in Beaufort County at some point within the next 36 hours. Specifically, the National Weather Service is forecasting that Beaufort County will see sustained winds in the 35-40 miles per hour range with gusts up to 50 miles per hour. This level of wind force means that there is an increased likelihood for damage to trees and corresponding power outage may occur throughout the County. A Hurricane Watch is still in effect from Edisto Beach South to include Beaufort County. This means that it is possible for Beaufort County to see hurricane force winds (greater than 73 miles per hour) at some within the next 36 hours. Additionally, a Storm Surge Watch is currently in place for Beaufort County as well. The storm surge levels continue to remain constant at 4-6 feet in Beaufort County beginning Sunday evening into Monday evening. Coastal flooding was already being reported at Hunting Island, Fripp Island and limited portions of Hilton Head Island during the high tide that occurred today. The County Channel was able to capture some pictures of this flooding and beach erosion and has posted this information to the County website. As of this evening, the PowerPoint slide show that they created is viewable at https://www.facebook.com/beaufortcountysc/ and videos are available through YouTube on the following sites: Hunting Island: https://youtu.be/O08K0jMlLHo Russ Point Boat Landing:https://youtu.be/ZNF0nYlm4aI Fripp Island: https://youtu.be/S3Tp_1HdriQ Hilton Head:https://youtu.be/oM4HF4fSFwA Two shelters will open tomorrow morning in Beaufort County. Shelter at Bluffton High School at 12 H.E. McCracken Drive in Bluffton and Battery Creek High School at 1 Blue Dolphin Drive and Battery Creek High School in Burton will open at 9:00 AM and will be staffed with personnel from the Red Cross. No pets will be accepted at either of these locations. Beaufort County residents and guests are encouraged to get up-to-date information on Hurricane Irma through the National Weather Service Charleston http://www.weather.gov/chs/. Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management continues to monitor the storm and weather conditions in Beaufort County and will keep you updated with information as it becomes available. Note- Correction to a NIXLE advisory from earlier this evening regarding water and sewer shut off on Fripp Island. Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority will turn off the water to Fripp Island at 4:00 PM on Sunday; Fripp Island Public Service District advised they will begin shutting down the sewer system at 12:00 PM on Sunday, a few hour process that will be completed by 4:00 PM. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.
Hurricane Irma Update: 6:30 PM Press Conference YouTube Link & Water Service Interruptions for Some Barrier Islands
Link to County Channel YouTube for Sheriff’s press conference:https://www.youtube.com/c/TheCountyChannel/live If you do not have internet access, the press conference can be viewed on Comcast Channel 2, Hargray Channel 9 and/ or 113, or Spectrum Channel 63. Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority to turn off water to the barrier islands in advance of Hurricane Irma to the following barrier islands at 4:00 PM Sunday, September 10: Fripp Island, Hunting Island and Harbour Island at 4:00 PM Sunday. Restoration of those services will occur once the weather permits. Fripp Island manages their own sewer and well system and plan to turn those off at noon on Sunday. After the service is restored there will be a boil water advisory in place until customers are notified by their local water supplier that it is safe to consume. While the advisory is in effect, water must be boiled vigorously for at least one minute before drinking or cooking.
Hurricane Irma Update: Jasper County Shelter Open for Beaufort County Evacuees. Tidal surge already being reported.
Beaufort County is officially under a hurricane watch, to include a storm surge watch, as of 11:00 AM, which means hurricane conditions and life-threatening storm surge inundation are possible within the next 48 hours. There has been some confusion about shelters available for Beaufort County residents and guests evacuating the barrier islands. The Red Cross opened a shelter in Jasper County at 10:00 AM this morning to accommodate evacuees Ridgeland-Hardeeville High School located at 250 Jaguar Trail, in Ridgeland. Two Red Cross shelters will be available in Beaufort County on Sunday at 9:00 AM. Those shelters are the Bluffton High School located at 12 H. E. McCracken Drive in Bluffton and Battery Creek High School located at 1 Blue Dolphin Drive in Burton. A mandatory evacuation order has been in effect for the barrier islands of Beaufort County started at 10:00 AM this morning, September 9, 2017. Beaufort County barrier islands under the mandatory evacuation order are Hilton Head Island, Daufuskie Island, Harbour Island, Hunting Island and Fripp Island. At 10:00 AM this morning road blocks were put in place and residents and guests will no longer be allowed access to the affected barrier islands, until the evacuation order is lifted. Only first responders, along with medical, water, utility and those with critical needs identified and approved through Sherff’s Office Emergency Management are being allowed access. Also as of this morning a coastal flood advisory was issued for Beaufort County between the hours of 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM with high tides and salt water inundation possible in low-lying areas. We would like to take this opportunity to remind our residents and guests again that storm surge and wind are possible in low-lying areas throughout Beaufort County, even those areas not under mandatory evacuation. Please limit your driving to only that which is necessary to avoid possible flooding and to allow ease of travel to those evacuating. Beaufort County residents and guests are encouraged to keep up-to-date with the storm through the National Weather Service Charlestonhttp://www.weather.gov/chs/ Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management continues to closely monitor Hurricane Irma and additional information will be released as soon as it becomes available. Thank you for your patience.
AT 3:30 PM today Sheriff P.J. Tanner will hold a press conference. The press conference will be at the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office headquarters building, Beaufort in the training room on the second floor. The media, along with local government and elected officials are invited and encouraged to attend. The press conference will be broadcasted live on the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page and on YouTube through the County Channel or possibly on www.scemd.org
STATE PUBLIC HOTLINE ACTIVATED
Columbia, S.C. (Friday, Sept. 8, 2017)– Residents in South Carolina who have questions about Hurricane Irma can now call the state’s toll-free hotline. Operators with the Public Information Phone System (PIPS) are available 24 hours a day for as long as is needed.
If you have questions about Hurricane Irma, such as about the state’s response or safety precautions you should take, call this hotline:
S.C. PUBLIC INFORMATION PHONE SYSTEM
1-866-246-0133
The state Emergency Operations Center is now fully activated at Operating Condition Three as state agencies prepare for any possible effects from Hurricane Irma. OPCON 3 ensures the appropriate specific hazard emergency plans are activated and ready should an emergency situation be imminent.
For more information, visit scemd.org or follow @SCEMD on Twitter and Facebook
Sept. 9, 2017 @ 11:30
To Villamare Owners:
As you know, the Governor has announced a mandatory evacuation for Hilton Head Island, which started at 10 am today. The evacuation routes will remain open as long as the authorities feel that people are evacuating. However at some point they may shut down the bridge to exiting traffic. We have no information as to when that might be. We assume it would not be before Sunday night or Monday morning.
At 10 am this morning, the authorities blocked access onto Hilton Head. This means that once you exit Hilton Head you will not be allowed back onto the island until after the storm event.
If you plan to remain in Villamare, please email terrywiggs2@gmail.com the names, address and contact info for those staying. Also include contact and phone for a contact off the island. This is for PD Security. You will receive an email today or tomorrow of who is staying in Villamare so that you might communicate. Please note whether you have medical training as a nurse, EMT, etc. The power and water companies have confirmed that they will not shut off water or power to the island unless Mother Nature does it. Thus far, no one has reported that they plan to remain in Villamare.
The latest storm surge predictions for Hilton Head are 7 feet, which will likely be on top of high tide. Maximum wind speed predictions have ranged from 40 to 70 mph.
The Villamare Board continues to recommend that you follow the authorities’ advice and evacuate Hilton Head.
PD will position a guard at the front entrance guard house to PD to stop anyone trying to enter without proper PD decals. The PD South and North gates will be unmanned The PD entrance will be manned as long as possible but may be shut down during the storm. Persons will be able to enter and exit Villamare as usual but will be checked at the front entrance guard house on Queens way instead of at the South Gate.
The Villamare Board
Sept. 8, 2017 @ 8:30 pm
To Villamare Owners:
At 8 pm tonight, the SC Governor Henry McMaster announced a mandatory evacuation for the Barrier Islands, and Colleton, Beaufort and Jasper Counties, beginning at 10 am tomorrow, Sept 9. The primary reason that he ordered the evacuation is the threat of flooding, which is predicted to be a storm surge of 4 to 6 feet on top of the regular tides. If the storm hits at high tide, water levels will be much higher than 4 to 6 feet.
A Beaufort County meteorologist on local news reported earlier this evening that the winds are expected to be as high as 65 mph at 8 am Monday, increasing to 75 mph by 2 pm Monday. The storm will hit SC sometime on Monday. The storm is expected to make landfall in Florida and travel northward with a westward track. Thus, Georgia is expected to have greater impacts than northern SC. For example Myrtle Beach is not being evacuated. However, due to the large size of the storm (larger than the state of Ohio) Hilton Head is expected to be impacted.
The Governor stressed that the storm could still change track so everyone should continue to watch for updates. He said that he would add additional SC counties to the evacuation list if conditions change. He also stated that at present, he was not planning to reverse flows on any SC highways. Tolls on the Cross Island parkway are suspended.
Many people have already evacuated from Villamare. The Villamare Board urges everyone to follow the Governor’s orders.
If you plan to remain at Villamare, please email your name, names of those staying with you, your contact info and an additional contact out of this area with phone numbers to terrywiggs2@gmail.com so that she can notify PD Security Chief Griner as to who will remain in Leamington.
There is no word yet as to the potential closing of the 278 bridge connecting Hilton Head with Bluffton. This bridge will likely be closed at some time prior to the storm, probably on Monday.
Questions regarding the storm may be directed to the 24 hour SC Public Information Center at 866-246-0133.
Villamare is locked down for Hurricane mode. All Villamare elevators will be shut down and raised to the 3rd floor to protect the equipment against flooding by noon on Saturday, Sept 9. Communications will continue to be available on the www.voiceofvillamare.com
The Villamare Board
Irma Elevators
Emergency Preparedness Checklist for Villamare
Work to be performed by ASM or contractor prior to Hurricane
September 7, 2017
This information should be posted on the Villamare website.
The following task should be performed when a Hurricane threat is likely:
- Notice shall be posted on elevator doors on all floors which reads: “All elevators will be out of service 8 hours after mandatory evacuation order is issued.”
The following tasks should be performed 8 hours after mandatory evacuation order has been issued:
- All elevators raised to 3rd floor and disconnected from power. Notice shall be posted on elevator doors on all floors and on website which reads: “All Elevators are out of service as power is disconnected because of Hurricane.”
- Shutdown power to motors and pumps for all pools and fountains.
- Turn power off to pool & spa heaters (inside and outside).
- Shut off valves that supply gas to heaters.
- Stage blue chairs and strap chairs from outdoor pool in Building 1 & Building 3 parking garages.
- Tie down trash cans and heavy white poly furniture together with rope and leave outside.
- Close trash room doors and close doors to roofs in all buildings.
- Ensure luggage carts are returned to parking garage storage areas.
Updated Sept. 7 at 4:40 pm
Dear Villamare Owners,
The models for Hurricane Irma continue to switch between Hurricane Irma making landfall in FL and traveling through FL up the middle of the state or Hurricane Irma making landfall north of FL possibly near Savannah or Hilton Head. Landfall is expected to be at 8 am Sunday (FL) or late Monday (SC) depending on which track it takes. Evacuations have already been announced for much of FL and coastal GA (8 am Saturday). This afternoon, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal issued a mandatory evacuation order starting Saturday for Savannah, Chatham County, all counties east of I-95 and some counties west of I-95. A total of 30 counties in Georgia are currently under a State of Emergency.
Hurricane Irma has already caused devastating effects in the Caribbean, where at least 11 people have been killed. The NHC’s current most likely track now sees Irma setting its sights on the Georgia and South Carolina coast, where it currently looks to make landfall in Savannah as a major hurricane late Monday before rapidly weakening to a Category 1 according to Blair Holloway, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Charleston.
Read more here:http://www.islandpacket.com/news/weather/hurricane/article171795927.html
Today SC’s governor announced that it is likely that he will announce an evacuation for the low country effective 10 am Saturday. He also said it is likely he will announce tomorrow that schools will be closed on Monday and Tuesday in all 46 counties.
Both the GA and SC Governors have announced that Interstate 95 will be reversed with all lanes heading north as of 10 am Saturday. Additionally Interstate 26 will be reversed with all lanes heading towards Columbia.
The Villamare Board recommends that you follow the Governor’s orders regarding evacuation. You can get up to date information at: www.scemd.org and http://www.islandpacket.com/news/weather/hurricane/article171743017.html and the Town of Hilton Head’s Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/TownofHiltonHeadIslandSC/
The Villamare Board will continue to communicate with owners on the official Villamare website: https://voiceofvillamare.com/
Sincerely,
Villamare Board