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City honored for debris‑management innovation after Hurricane Helene
Summary
The Municipal Association of South Carolina presented Aiken with a 2025 Achievement Award for its debris‑management method after Hurricane Helene, using a repurposed traffic camera and drone verification to measure trucked debris for FEMA reimbursement.
A representative of the Municipal Association of South Carolina presented the City of Aiken with the association’s 2025 Achievement Award at the Aug. 25 City Council meeting for the city’s debris‑management approach following Hurricane Helene.
Desiree Fragoso of the Municipal Association described the city as the first in the region to establish a debris management site after the storm and said staff repurposed a traffic camera to record debris volume on each incoming truck. The method, reinforced by twice‑weekly drone photography, produced auditable volume records that streamlined FEMA and Army Corps of Engineers reimbursement documentation, reduced staff time and minimized human error, Fragoso said.
City Manager Stuart and staff credited interdepartmental collaboration among public services, information technology, engineering and utilities for the work. The award noted the project was funded through Aiken’s General Fund and that the initial measurements were accurate within an error range of less than 1 percent, according to staff presentation.
Council and staff used the presentation to praise city employees involved in post‑storm recovery; no formal action was required.
