The Anderson Civic Center has been opened as a shelter for people who evacuated Florida and Georgia and as of 7:00 a.m. Monday morning (Sept. 11), the Anderson County Emergency Operations Center moved to a partial activation and upgraded its operational status to OPCON 3 as the county readies for potential effects of the remnants of Hurricane Irma.
OPCON 3 is an indication that a disaster or emergency situation is likely and begins the implementation of the appropriate all-hazard emergency plan. A partial activation brings together the various FEMA designated Emergency Support Functions (ESF-1 through 15) to coordinate emergency response and recovery actions across the County.
Additionally, the County has established a direct phone line for debris removal in anticipation of downed trees caused by high winds. Residents are asked to use this number to call in downed trees on public property and roadways with the desire of minimizing the call volume at the 911 dispatch center. The phone line will open at 11:00 a.m. and operate for 24 hours a day for the duration of the storm. The number to call is (864) 760-1465.
Residents are reminded to only call 911 for emergency situations. For power outages customers can call:
DUKE POWER (800) 769-3766 or BLUE RIDGE POWER (888) 258-3743.
An emergency shelter remains open for anyone who may be concerned about their safety as high winds are expected to impact the area today into tomorrow. There are currently 19 individuals being housed at the shelter.
Those seeking shelter from Hurricane Irma can go to the following location:
The Anderson Civic Center
3027 Martin Luther King Blvd. in Anderson.
The shelter is pet-friendly.
The Anderson Civic Center opened at 12:00 p.m. Sunday as a shelter for Florida and Georgia residents who are evacuating from Hurricane Irma’s projected path as well as those in Anderson County and the Upstate who may be concerned about their safety as high winds are expected to impact the County into Monday night and Tuesday morning.
Shelters are generally the place of last resort. Individuals and families are encouraged to have emergency plans in place. These plans should include relatives or friends with whom you can stay or locations to which you will travel.
