(Richland PIO) – Richland County Government held a news conference Tuesday to clarify information about the County’s eligibility for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Expedited Major Presidential Disaster Declaration following Hurricane Helene.

On Monday, Sept. 30, Gov. Henry McMaster announced that the state’s request for expedited assistance to provide federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in response to the hurricane had been approved. Richland County was not on the initial list of counties approved for assistance; however, the list is not final.

On Tuesday, Richland County Administration initiated a phone conversation with the S.C. Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) to understand why the County was not included as part of the expedited declaration. Richland County was told by SCEMD that the initial counties were determined based on anecdotal information obtained by the agency itself, independent of the counties.

SCEMD did not notify or ask any county to apply, submit paperwork, or meet any deadline to be considered for expedited relief. Richland County has confirmed this information with SCEMD to understand why the County was not initially included as part of the expedited declaration.

Further, SCEMD told the County on Tuesday that in order to potentially be considered for expedited relief, the County, along with FEMA personnel, would need to identify between 25 and 50 homes that were deemed destroyed because of Hurricane Helene. The County has begun a preliminary damage assessment to identify all damage from the storm and will continue this process through the recovery phase.

“Residents of Richland County should feel confident that we will do everything that we’re supposed to do, that we are doing everything that we are supposed to do, to qualify to be eligible for, and to be considered for, assistance related to this storm,” County Administrator Leonardo Brown said.

Regardless of whether Richland County is included on SCEMD’s expedited list in the future, the County will follow the traditional disaster declaration process of gathering damage assessment information and will submit all required damage assessment information to the state.

Richland County will also continue to respond to calls for emergency service. Since Thursday, Sept. 26, the County’s Emergency Services, Department of Public Works, Utilities, Sheriff’s Department, Ombudsman’s Office, Information Technology, Administration and Communications teams have worked around the clock to ensure the safety of the public, responding to more than 1,000 service requests.

Residents may report hurricane-related damage and share photos by calling 803-576-3439 or emailing information and pictures to ombudsman@richlandcountysc.gov.