Town of Hilton Head Island updates after Tropical Storm Debby – August 7, 2024

With Tropical Storm Debby subsiding, the Town of Hilton Head Island administrative offices will resume normal operations at 8 a.m. on Thursday, August 8.

“We are fortunate that we did not experience the worst-case scenarios of flooding forecasted for the Town. Our Town staff was well-prepared and did an excellent job carrying out tasks to ensure our safety and responding quickly to flooded areas. Their preparation was crucial in promptly addressing issues and restoring normalcy as swiftly as possible,” said Mayor Alan Perry. “Over the next several days, the Town will be working with impacted property owners to address their concerns and issues.”

During Tropical Storm Debby, the Town took the following critical actions to safeguard the community:

• Activated and Maintained the Emergency Operations Center: For three days, essential personnel were on standby, monitoring the storm’s movement and responding to the storm’s impacts.
• Operationalized Water Pump Stations: The Wexford, Jarvis Creek, Lawton and Shipyard pump stations were activated, collectively pumping out over 265 million gallons of stormwater from the Island’s drainage system into Broad Creek, Jarvis Creek and Lawton Creek, successfully protecting our community from potentially catastrophic flooding.
• Addressed Flooding: We worked with various partners, including Beaufort County, to mitigate flooded areas.
• Conducted Property Damage Inspections: Assessed over 1,000 properties to document any damage or flooding and prepare for any potential work permits. If a structure on your property has been flooded or damaged by Tropical Storm Debby, please contact Shari Mendrick, Floodplain Administrator, at (843) 341-4687 or [email protected].
• Cleared Roadways: Removed 16 trees from roadways to ensure traffic could flow freely. We’re also clearing debris from roadways and pathways, so they are safe for users.
• Managed Traffic Signals: Our traffic and transportation team actively monitored and managed on-Island traffic signals to ensure they functioned optimally throughout the storm.
• Monitored Parks and Pathways: Monitored beach and community parks and pathways and made sure they were secure. Our teams spent time today getting our beach and community parks ready for opening on Thursday, and making sure our pathways are safe for use. Town staff also assessed the beach for storm impacts and are happy to report no issues with this important resource.
• Responded to MyHHI Requests: Thanks to our citizen reporting tool, MyHHI, we received and responded to 26 notifications regarding road flooding, traffic signal issues, drainage concerns and tree issues.

Though activities are underway to remove debris, we advise you to exercise caution while using pathways and as you return to beach and community parks. Our team wants to ensure they are safe for public use and are working as quickly as possible to do so. However, with our extensive pathways system and many parks, it will take some time to return them to their normally pristine condition.

Here are additional operational updates:

Park Facilities: Restrooms and parking lots at all Town beach parks and community parks will reopen on Thursday, August 8, at 8 a.m.

State of Emergency: The Town of Hilton Head Island is still operating under a State of Emergency that:

1. Places temporary moratorium on the construction or reconstruction of any building or other structure. This means the Town of Hilton Head Island will not accept or process permit applications or schedule or complete permit inspections during the temporary moratorium, which will remain in effect until the State of Emergency ends.  We will notify the public when this temporary moratorium has been lifted.
2. Allows property owners to take actions necessary to temporarily protect the health and safety of their family or prevent further loss of their property’s value.

Waste Collection Service Companies: Many waste service companies in the Town of Hilton Head Island are reporting a one-day delay in collection. Please contact your waste service provider for additional information.

Reporting non-emergency issues: Please use our citizen reporting app, MyHHI, to report all non-emergency matters to the town, such as blocked roadways, drainage, damage, and other items. You can upload photos with each service request, providing a visual reference so our staff can better address issues.

County Convenience Centers: County Convenience Centers will reopen tomorrow, August 8. Decals will still be required for residents to dispose of storm debris, but the limit of three visits per week will be waived through Sunday, August 11. As a reminder, convenience centers are for residential trash and debris only.

Beaufort County School District: Schools will be closed on Thursday, August 8. A decision about school potentially starting on Friday will be made on Thursday afternoon.

Palmetto Breeze/Trolley: All Palmetto Breeze services and routes will be back to normal Thursday, August 8. This includes all commuter routes, weekday routes serving the Beaufort and Port Royal areas, the Bluffton Breeze weekday service in Bluffton, and the seasonal Breeze Trolley service on Hilton Head Island.

United Way HELPLINE: If the storm has impacted you personally, please reach out to United Way of the Lowcountry’s 2-1-1 HELPLINE for information on resources and referrals for non-emergency assistance.  You can reach 2-1-1 by calling 2-1-1, texting 2-1-1-2-1-1, or visiting www.SC211.org. 2-1-1 will be operational throughout the storm. For emergencies, always call 911.

Storm Updates: Beaufort County is still under a tropical storm warning, so we encourage you to stay informed through local media and follow the Town of Hilton Head Island’s official channels for the latest updates:

• Town Website
• Town Facebook
• Sign up for News and Emergency Alerts
• National Hurricane Center
• National Weather Service