Hurricane Helene- Putting the Pieces Back Together After the Storm
Avid off-roader and overlander, April Russell (otherwise know as Jeep Daisy) was struck by surprise when Hurricane Helene ripped through her town late September 2024.
A Midland partner, Russell writes a guest article for Midland, sharing her experience before, during, and after the storm.
Expect the unexpected
Always prepared! That’s my motto! Well usually at least, but after numerous hurricanes coming through the midlands of South Carolina, I thought this would be another typical hurricane. Some rain, some wind, and sunshine the next day.
Not this time! While the storm only lasted a few hours, the damage was beyond anything I’d seen in memory. It will take months to fully recover from all the devastation left behind.
Just outside my bedroom window, I could hear trees breaking and snapping all around in the middle of the night! Not knowing where the next tree would land was the scariest feeling. Electricity and cell service went completely out while my family took cover in a bathroom with just a Midland Emergency Crank Radio and a few flashlights.
After what seemed like forever, day finally came. We walked outside to trees completely uprooted and snapped in two like twigs! Not only were trees laid across our power lines and the internet cables that service our home, but also down the street and other homes for miles and miles. Hoping for the best, we anticipated a couple of days without either, but it was a full week later that all was mostly restored.
There are still several trees still laying on top of my garage as I share this. I personally lost well over 30 trees that day.
Roads were blocked and 98% of the local power grid was down, cell phone and internet service was spotty at best for the first few days after the hurricane. Fuel was in short supply.
While all of these things were inconvenient, the most important thing was our loved ones.
The day after
Our travel frequently takes us outside of cell service range and we have Midland radios for multiple uses- from handheld radios for spotting obstacles when off-roading to vehicle-mounted radios to maintain communication while traveling even greater distances. We scarcely imaged the usefulness of these in a weather event like Helene.
After setting up our mobile base station (we typically use this while camping) at home, we ventured out to check on loved ones locally.
Armed with a chainsaw, fuel, supples, and our 50-Watt MicroMobile GMRS radio already onboard, we could communicate with our kids at home while we went to check on elderly family members who live 5 miles away.
Let me tell you, navigating just 5 miles after a storm like this is no easy feat! Downed power lines, trees, and debris everywhere makes navigation a challenge, but we arrived after an hour and a half to find everyone safe and no structural damage to their home.
The collaboration of folks after a storm demonstrates the truest sense of community. So many people working together along the way to clear a path to reach loved ones. We left our spare 15-Watt GMRS radio at my parents so we’d be able to check in until cell service was restored and that was a great relief over the next couple of days.
Lessons learned
We were fortunate that we already had reliable communication to support our camping and off-road adventures.
These tools made all the difference in peace of mind during the event.
Our Midland Weather and Emergency Alert Radio has been an important warning device for years during unexpected weather, but now we know the value of reliable communication after an event of this magnitude.
A reliable communication method can make a huge difference, providing not only critical information, but also a sense of security.
Our Midland two-way radios were more than just a tool—they were a lifeline.
Now, I make sure to keep my radios charged and ready at all times, knowing that if another storm comes, I’ll be prepared to weather it and next time, we will make sure everyone has radios staged before the event!
For anyone considering ways to enhance their emergency kit, I can’t recommend Midland radios enough….and they’re fun for camping, traveling, and off-road adventures too!! You can’t get more useful than that.
