Newberry County emergency staff review response to ice and snow storms, seek FEMA reimbursement

Emergency Services Director Tommy Long told Newberry County Council on Feb. 4 that county emergency staff held multiagency briefings and activated the emergency operations center (EOC) to coordinate response to a recent state-declared ice storm and a later snow event.

"We held daily briefings about 3 days prior to the event at the EOC," Long said, describing broad participation by county agencies and partners. For the ice event the county activated the EOC, opened a general population shelter at Goldman School (chosen for generator-backed power) and used a shelter trailer to stage supplies; Crosspointe Church provided meals to response staff for two days.

Long said the county recorded several roadway accidents during the ice event, including one "very serious accident," and that the county identified generator needs at select schools and Newberry College. "This was a state declared event, so we should be able to get some reimbursement back from FEMA," he said.

The subsequent snowstorm prompted daily briefings but did not require EOC activation; Long said the county "managed it virtually" and saw mostly minor crashes. He said that because the snow event was not state-declared, it likely will not qualify for the same reimbursement.

Council members asked whether staff would conduct an after-action review. Long said he would circulate an email summarizing the response and invite feedback: "I can probably just send out an email...and then everybody can send me feedback." Council members praised the increased interagency participation and called for continued improvements in planning and communication.

Next steps: staff will circulate an after-action email to council and continue work with consultants on grant applications for school generators identified as priority needs.