Good evening, Islanders,
What a day it was! How proud all Islanders should be of their Town, including all First Responders, Emergency Operations Center personnel, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, our utility providers and everyone else who assisted. We weathered an incredible tropical storm and many have sustained some flooding and other damage from the combination of rains and storm surge intersecting with high tide. Irma has all but passed now and our resources are laser-focused on helping one another repair, recover and welcome all of our Islanders home.
About Re-Entry
Your Town is hard at work right now preparing for your return. The Hilton Head Hospital Emergency Room operations are in the process of being restored. The damage assessment of roadways and causeways that is currently being conducted by Beaufort County and SCDOT should be completed by Tuesday [9/12/17] at 8:30 a.m. Utility companies and PSD’s are working to repair any outages and service interruptions. As of this writing, 8,100 Palmetto Electric customers on Hilton Head Island are without power. Your Fire Rescue is fully operational.
Our goal is to be prepared to allow re-entry to the Island tomorrow upon the lifting of the evacuation order by the Governor. Once the Governor has lifted the evacuation order, and the Town has simultaneously done likewise, you will be free to cross the bridge without interruption and return to your homes and businesses.
We have sustained damages, and many of our neighbors in Bluffton, Beaufort and Beaufort County have too. Let’s extend to each other compassion, encouragement and assistance. Thank you so much for your patience and support during this time. Your Town looks forward to your return.
Sincerely,
Mayor David Bennett
