BAMBERG COUNTY, S.C. — The county and city of Bamberg are hoping assistance will soon be on the way after a month has passed since they were rocked by a tornado.
It's been a nightmare start to 2024 for city and county leaders in Bamberg.
On Jan. 9, a strong EF-2 tornado ripped through a portion of downtown Bamberg, leveling a building and causing damage to countless others.
On Friday, that storm damage was still lying on the street, with the whole length of downtown along Highway 301 closed.
Bamberg mayor Nancy Foster said they've been working to clear it up.
"They're down there, and they're tearing down the buildings," she said. "it's a slow process."
According to Bamberg County Administrator Joey Preston, that slow process is partly due to a struggle to get federal storm assistance.
"The state has a public assistance threshold of $9.4 million. What that means is any money that any public entity has to spend, you have to meet that threshold for the entire state. So if there's a weather event that happens, it may only happen but you still need to hit that federal threshold of $9.4 million. In our situation, what we learned from FEMA and after our assessments, is we're looking at $4 million," he said. "South Carolina doesn't budget money; there's not a line item in the budget at all to assist these types of disasters that may come under that threshold."
He explains the county is working with state lawmakers to find permanent legislative changes that would allow for state funding and had the governor reach out to President Biden for an exception and request federal funding.
"The smaller, poorer counties, ones that are economically disadvantaged, are going to have to deal with these issues," Preston said.
He said they've already been offered help from three different counties. It's thanks to the South Carolina Association of Counties (SCAC).
SCAC president Roy Costner sent a request to other counties in the state, asking them to help out, not with money but with services and equipment.
"I don't know if they need people, especially to help with the clean up. Removal of trees, or fixing the roads or whatever that is, there's got to be ways that we can cross county lines and help out our neighbor," he said.
Mayor Foster said they've also seen many people coming out and helping from the community and are hoping to have Highway 301 fixed shortly.
"We have had so many people come in, so many electrical companies," she said. "And we've had a lot of other groups come in to help, to help the board of public works. Newberry's been here, Orangeburg's been here. It's been really wonderful to see these people come to your aid."