BAMBERG, SC (WRDW/WAGT) – About a month after the devastation of Hurricane Helene, Bamberg County received some much-needed new heavy equipment with the help of Congressman Clyburn and the States Department of Agriculture -United.

In July, the USDA awarded Bamberg County a Rural Development Community Facilities Grant in the amount of $381,750.

USDA funds have been extended to Bamberg County to purchase heavy equipment, as outlined in the 2022 Ian Disaster Project. The following equipment has already been purchased:

• A 2023 CAT 920 wheel loader
• A 2023 CAT 310 mini excavator

Bamberg County will also use grant funds to purchase a 16.2 cubic meter dump truck in the near future.

In 2024 alone, Bamberg County has faced numerous extreme weather events, and there are two months left in the year with potential complications from winter conditions. Following the January tornado, Bamberg County was faced with the daunting task of clearing Highway 601/Main Highway, a critical route for citizens and business owners.

Similarly, after tropical storms Debby and Helene, several county roads, including residential roads, were completely washed away.

The new heavy equipment will prove invaluable to future storm recovery efforts by increasing capacity and efficiency.

County Board Chairman Evert Comer, Jr. thanked Bamberg County staff for securing the grant and the USDA for its approval. He said, “Without the help of Congressman Clyburn and the USDA, we would not have been able to purchase this necessary equipment, which will mitigate our current and future storm recovery efforts. »

“This heavy equipment is essential to rebuilding and maintaining our infrastructure, especially as natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, January’s tornado, Tropical Storm Debby and Hurricane Helene have become more frequent. This equipment will not only help us recover from recent storms, but also help us prepare for future storms,” said County Administrator Joey Preston.

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