Update From Laurens Mayor Senn – Evening of Tuesday October 1st

Here’s the latest update on our city’s post-storm recovery efforts as we work to return things to “normal.”

1) Trash Pick-Up Success: Despite storm debris along the roadsides and partial street closures, the City of Laurens successfully completed both yesterday’s and today’s trash pick-up! Although the County landfill couldn’t accept Monday’s waste due to power outages affecting their scales, city workers quickly adapted by transporting waste to the Twin Chimneys Landfill in Princeton, ensuring uninterrupted service. Today, the County landfill was back in operation and accepted our waste. Huge thanks to the Streets & Sanitation team for their dedication. The remainder of the week’s routes should proceed on the regular schedule.

2) Storm Debris Pick-Up and Street Clearing: Our Streets & Sanitation crew is hard at work clearing storm debris from curbs and roadsides. The piles of branches, limbs, and vegetative debris lining the streets will start to disappear soon. We appreciate your patience as we work to restore our neighborhoods!

3) City Traffic Signals Update: As of this afternoon, most of the city’s traffic signals are back online, although some are still being restored. This is great progress considering none were operational immediately after the storm. Please note that the light at West Main Street and Church/Chestnut Street is still not fully functional, so please proceed with caution in that area.

4) Scam Warnings: Be aware of scammers and misinformation circulating in the wake of the storm. We’ve heard reports in the area of individuals posing as “FEMA workers” going door-to-door. This is not legitimate! Please be cautious and report any suspicious activity.

5) Power Restoration Efforts: The Laurens Commission of Public Works, along with out-of-town utility providers, continue working tirelessly to restore power. As of today, 63.8% of CPW customers have had their power restored. Please extend your gratitude and hospitality to the hardworking line crews and volunteers as they continue clearing debris and restoring power for the remaining households.

6) Emergency Relief Services: Laurens County will distribute water and MREs tomorrow morning in front of the Laurens County Voter Registration Office at 105 Bolt Drive. Additionally, those in need of emergency shelter can go to The Ridge, the City of Laurens’ recreational facility on Exchange Drive. Security will be provided to ensure safety at the shelter.

7) Damage Assessment and Aid Coordination: Laurens County, through its Emergency Management Division, is coordinating ALL county-wide emergency relief efforts, INCLUDING THE CITY OF LAURENS. City staff is supporting the County by going door-to-door conducting damage assessments. This information is critical for determining the county’s eligibility for aid, including direct individual assistance from FEMA. If you see city workers in your yard, please assist them in gathering this information to help ensure our community receives all available resources for recovery. We also encourage you to reach out to Governor McMaster’s office to encourage him and his team to assist Laurens County in this important recovery effort.