This will be a drive-thru testing site where everyone will remain in their cars. There is no charge for the test or results, and results are typically available within 24 to 48 hours.
Landrum Area Fire and Rescue District Receives COVID-19 Responder Support Grant
The Landrum Area Fire and Rescue District was recently selected to receive a COVID-19 Responder Support grant from Williams.
Sara Delgado, Williams’ Manager of Community Relations and Charitable Giving wrote to the District, “As a premier energy infrastructure company that handles clean-burning natural gas used every day to heat homes, cook food, and generate electricity, one of our Core Values and Beliefs is to support the communities where its employees work and live. That is why it is with great pleasure we enclose a check in the amount of $1,000.00 representing Williams’ contribution for COVID-19 Responder Support.”
Chief Warren Ashmore announced the grant award during the District’s monthly commission meeting on May 26. “Receiving this grant was a welcomed surprise. As our personnel respond to calls, we never know what the environment might be, and COVID-19 has been an additional concern for the health and welfare of our first responders and the neighbors we’re here to help. This grant will help purchase more supplies to reduce the likelihood of contracting or transmitting the virus.”
Pam Hilsman, chair of the Landrum Area Fire and Rescue District Commission echoed Chief Ashmore. “First responders have a difficult job, by nature. They don’t know exactly what they’ll face when they respond to a call, and there are often unexpected factors that appear. We appreciate Williams recognizing the unknown that our personnel face in the COVID-19 era, and we are grateful to have a corporate partner like them who is willing to take extra steps to keep our people safe.”
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About Williams
Williams (NYSE: WMB) is committed to being the leader in providing infrastructure that safely delivers natural gas products to reliably fuel the clean energy economy. Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Williams is an industry-leading, investment grade C-Corp with operations across the natural gas value chain including gathering, processing, interstate transportation and storage of natural gas and natural gas liquids. With major positions in top U.S. supply basins, Williams connects the best supplies with the growing demand for clean energy. Williams owns and operates more than 30,000 miles of pipelines system wide – including Transco, the nation’s largest volume and fastest growing pipeline – and handles approximately 30 percent of the natural gas in the United States that is used every day for clean-power generation, heating and industrial use. www.williams.com
About the Landrum Area Fire and Rescue District
The Landrum Area Fire and Rescue District was created on June 3, 2015 by Act 48 of the South Carolina General Assembly to address evolving fire and emergency needs of the coverage area of the former Landrum Fire Department that included the incorporated City of Landrum, a contract area in Spartanburg County outside (but adjacent to) the city, and approximately 22% of the Foothills Fire Service Area in Greenville County. The district was created to transition from a part-time paid department relying primarily on volunteers to a full-time paid staff of fire fighters with emergency response personnel augmented by volunteers. For more information about the Landrum Area Fire and Rescue District, visit www.LandrumFire.com.
Brand names, product names, services, companies, events, and publications are or may be trademarks or registered trademarks of, and are used to identify, products or services of their respective owners in the U.S. and/or other countries.
This news release contains or may contain forward-looking statements that are or may be subject to certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results or facts to differ materially from such statements for a variety of reasons. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. The Landrum Area Fire and Rescue District undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements.
SC Forestry Commission To Lift Statewide Burning Ban Tuesday, April 21
COLUMBIA-The South Carolina Forestry Commission will lift the statewide burning ban at 6:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 21.
Campfire/firepit burns, residential yard debris burns and prescribed burns will all be allowed to resume as normal Tuesday, but it is important to note that burning storm-related debris is subject to special requirements set by the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) to protect public health during the COVID-19 response (see box at bottom for details). In addition, all open burning activities must be in compliance with DHEC open burning regulations (S.C. Regulation 61-62.2).
The State Forester’s burning ban was declared April 7 to minimize both the impact of wildfires and other unmanaged smoke on residents during the COVID-19 response at a time when coronavirus spread was accelerating in our state. “The proactive measures taken in our state during the critical acceleration phase of the spread of the virus has helped limit the exposure of individuals to COVID-19 and ultimately reduced the strain on first responders and the need for care in our healthcare system,” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHEC physician. “The decision to lift the ban is based on the current data and will be re-evaluated if cases begin to increase again.”
“In consultation with officials from the DHEC, whose recent COVID-19 projections indicate cautious optimism about the virus’ reduced spread and impact over the last two weeks, we believe now is the time to allow outdoor burning to resume with additional precautions,” said State Forester Scott Phillips.
As always, state law requires citizens who live outside of city/town limits to notify the Forestry Commission and take the proper precautions before burning outdoors. People can find a link to each county’s toll-free notification number on the SCFC home page or at https://www.state.sc.us/forest/fyard.htm. Prescribed burners must make notification of their planned burns by calling (800) 777-3473. Those burning campfires or in fire pits do not need to make notification.
The two-week ban helped reduced the strain on local fire service and EMS personnel. “The ban was very effective at reducing unnecessary fire calls and smoke-related complaints that could have very easily overwhelmed not just healthcare workers, but also first responders and other emergency workers,” said SCFC Fire Chief Darryl Jones. “And with the special requirements from DHEC and all the recent rain we’ve received, it allows the ban to be lifted safely and in a way that also lets people get back to some sense of normalcy.”
Forestry Commission officials continue to urge extreme vigilance in conducting outdoor burning, as escaped debris burns are the number one cause of wildfires in South Carolina. “We also really want to encourage people to be good neighbors by being mindful of their smoke and its impact on others,” said Jones. “If people could postpone burning while their piles are wet, that would be better because dry debris will burn hotter and produce less smoke.”
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DHEC requirements for burning storm-related debris generated as a result of the April 13, 2020 severe storm
- Storm debris burn piles should only contain yard debris, including leaves, limbs, tree branches, small logs, and clean wood. Chipping and grinding of yard debris is strongly encouraged.
- Burn piles shall not contain household trash, tires, plastics, paints, roofing materials, chemicals, oils, insulation, duct work or electrical wire. Local solid waste collection and recycling centers should be used, where available, to dispose of these items.
- Burn piles should be at least 100 feet from the property line or other structures. Never leave your burn site and have water available to put out the fire.
- The initial burn must be started between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.; no combustible material should be added to the fire between 3 p.m. of one day and 9 a.m. the following day.
- To minimize smoke from the burn pile, the amount of dirt on the material should be limited, and the prevailing winds must be away from public roadways and residential areas.
- Consult your homeowner restrictions and local or county ordinances before you burn.
Forestry Commission to Issue Statewide Burning Ban on Tuesday, April 7
COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Forestry Commission will declare a State Forester’s Burning Ban for all counties, effective at 6 a.m. Tuesday, April 7.
A State Forester’s Burning Ban prohibits outdoor burning anywhere outside of city/town limits in South Carolina, including:
- yard debris burns;
- forestry, wildlife or agricultural burns (also known as prescribed, or controlled, burns); and
- campfires and other types of recreational open burning.
After consultation with officials with the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, State Forester Scott Phillips ordered the statewide burning ban in the interest of public safety amid the current public health threat posed by the COVID-19 virus.
Not only can smoke exacerbate the symptoms of those who have contracted the virus, but it also can trigger underlying respiratory issues in otherwise unaffected individuals, which could result in symptoms similar to those the COVID-19 virus is known to cause.
“For infected individuals, breathing smoke could make coronavirus symptoms worse, increasing the risk of hospitalization or death,” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHEC Physician Consultant. “It could also cause people who have not contracted the coronavirus, but who are presenting COVID-19-like symptoms, to seek medical care at a time when medical resources are already stretched thin.”
“With known coronavirus infections increasing in all 46 counties of the state, we simply cannot continue to allow legal burning under these unprecedented circumstances,” said Phillips. “Reducing outdoor burning will also minimize the strain on local fire departments and other first responders who need to remain available for other COVID-19 response activities.”
Agency leadership acknowledges that prohibiting prescribed burning during what is traditionally the busiest time of year will be difficult for land managers in all parts of the state. “We know how beneficial the practice is for agricultural and forest management, and it is, along with our ongoing fire prevention and education efforts, the best tool we have to reduce both the number and severity of wildfires,” said SCFC Fire Chief Darryl Jones. “But extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, and the decision to enact this ban really had to be made in the current context.”
The ban will stay in effect until further notice, which will come in the form of an official announcement from the Forestry Commission.
Statewide Red Flag Fire Alert Effective Immediately
Outdoor burning discouraged because of weather conditions, elevated fire risk
COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Forestry Commission is issuing a statewide Red Flag Fire Alert, effective immediately.
Weather forecasts for most of the state this weekend include stronger-than-normal wind gusts and low relative humidity, all of which combine with dry fuels on the ground to create the potential for outdoor fires escaping easily and spreading rapidly.
“These conditions present favorable conditions for wildfire ignitions, particularly the low relative humidity values, which will remain low over the weekend,” said SCFC Fire Chief Darryl Jones. “With the otherwise nice weather this weekend, we just want people who may be working in their yards or enjoying the outdoors to be aware of the elevated potential for fire danger.”
The purpose of the alert is twofold: in addition to discouraging people from doing any outdoor burning, it also helps to reduce the strain on local fire departments and other first responders who need to remain available for COVID-19 response. The alert will remain in effect until lifted by the Commission, whose fire response teams will continuously monitor the situation throughout the weekend.
A Red Flag Fire Alert does not prohibit outdoor burning, provided that all other state and local regulations are followed, but the Forestry Commission strongly encourages citizens to voluntarily postpone any such burning until the alert is lifted. However, a Red Flag Fire Alert does trigger certain county or local ordinances that restrict outdoor fires, so residents should contact their local fire departments to check whether such restrictions apply in their areas.