Ahead of Hurricane Dorian, Newberry County sheriff warns about tree damage

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - While we continue to track how Hurricane Dorian might impact South Carolina, Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster is issuing a warning about trees.

Almost two weeks ago, a storm passed through Newberry County and caused downed trees, limbs, damaged homes, and knocked out power.

Foster is concerned more wind could cause more problems in the county. He said when that sudden storm hit a couple of weeks ago, they only had a few minutes for a warning.

Now, he hopes his message can reach people while Dorian is still in the Atlantic. He sent out a Facebook post urging people to get batteries, non-perishable food, and offering concern due to weakened trees still standing that did not fall down.

On Thursday, Foster took WIS around Newberry and debris piles could still be seen in the streets along with a closed road and damage to a home.

“My concern is that strong wind that didn’t fell some of them have weakened them and that we would have continued tree damage and continued home damages from falling trees and limbs. We don’t want to be ‘the sky is falling’ people, but we also want to make sure people are prepared,” Foster said.

Olivia Miller, a resident who lives near a damaged home on Drayton Street, said she is concerned with the trees on her property and offered some advice to her neighbors.

"Homeowners’ insurance, that's one thing everybody need to have. Even the people that be renting, they need to have rental insurance," Miller said.

Two months ago, a tree service owner in Richland County told WIS that experts can typically be called out to a home to assess risk factors for certain trees on your property for those concerned about trees near their homes.

The Newberry County Sheriff's Office was not the only Midlands law enforcement agency asking their counties to pay attention.

The Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office also made a Facebook post saying in part, “we ask that you simply be prepared. Call us if you need us.”

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