Hurricane Helene: Public Health Department Closures

Latest updates: Hurricane Helene

Our public health departments' hours of operation may be affected by power and staffing outages. This means that some closures may not appear on the state government office delays and closings map. The health and safety of our employees and our clients remains our highest priority. We are working to get services restored as safely and quickly as possible.

Learn more about DPH's role with hurricanes, floods, and weather emergencies.

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Updated: Oct. 3, 2024

Hurricane Helene Graphic

Update

DPH’s team of dedicated employees are responding to the storm’s impact by communicating with health care facilities to ensure patient and staff safety, answering calls from the public to determine Medical Needs Shelter (MNS) eligibility, and opening and staffing MNSs.

Oxygen Tanks

DPH has worked to get a supply of medical oxygen tanks into certain South Carolina counties for those in need. These tanks have been given to county emergency management divisions who will determine the best distribution plan to those in need.

If you live in one of the following counties and are oxygen-dependent, contact your county’s emergency management division to request an additional tank:

Aiken(844) 965-1386
Anderson(864) 276-8620
Cherokee(864) 649-8301
Edgefield(803) 336-9878
Oconee(864) 638-4200
Pickens(864) 898-5945
Saluda(864) 445-2529
Spartanburg(864) 595-5365

 

Individuals with oxygen concentrators who do not have access to power needed to use their concentrators at home may be eligible for a medical needs shelter. To find out if you are eligible for a medical needs shelter, call the DPH Care Line at 1-855-472-3432.

Care Line

1-855-472-3432
Call if you have questions about public health departments or medical needs shelters. This number is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, until further notice.

Stay Safe After the Storm

Medical Needs Shelters

A Medical Needs Shelter (MNS) is an emergency shelter with limited support for people with medical needs and their adult caregivers. MNSs are for people who are currently medically stable at home and not requiring hospitalization. This includes people who:

  • Have medical conditions that require electricity support and/or
  • Use a hospital bed/ specialized medical bed at home

During an emergency, call our Care Line at 1-855-472-3432 to determine MNS eligibility. Eligible individuals will be expected to bring items needed for daily living to a designated MNS. Learn more by visiting Shelter During Disasters.

WIC Benefits

WIC benefits will continue uninterrupted following the impact of Hurricane Helene. Benefits will automatically roll over, and participants can use their eWIC cards to purchase food as usual.

Practice Food Safety After Power Outages

If your home has been without power, practice food safety tips to prevent illness.

  • Never taste food to know if it is safe to eat. When in doubt, throw it out
  • Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed.
  • If the doors stay closed, food will stay safe up to: 4 hours in a refrigerator, 48 hours in a full freezer, 24 hours in a half-full freezer.
  • If the power has been out for 4 hours, and a cooler and ice are available, put refrigerated perishable foods in the cooler. To keep them at 40°F or below, add ice or a cold source like frozen gel packs.

For additional food safety tips, see DPH's Water and Food Safety and CDC's Keep Food Safe After a Disaster or Emergency.

Latest Updates

DPH Offices

DPH follows the closings and delays of county offices. For example, if Beaufort County offices are closed, DPH health clinics and offices in Beaufort County also will be closed. The latest information on delays and closures can be found at scemd.org/closings or on local news stations. 

Stay Connected

Stay tuned to your local news channels, visit EMD’s website at scemd.org, download EMD’s free mobile app, and get the latest information from DPH by following us on X (Twitter) and Facebook.