PHOTO GALLERY: Sumter prepares for Hurricane Florence
Jeff Bremer helps load sandbags around businesses in downtown Sumter on Friday, Sept. 14 in preparation for Hurricane Florence.
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Xtreme Powerline and Construction trucks sit in the parking lot of KMart in Sumter. The company is out of Port Huron, MI, but also has crews in Sumter from its Florida office as well.
Jake Bieke, an employee with Xtreme Powerline and Construction speaks with a coworker out of frame on Thursday, Sept. 13. Xtreme Powerline and Construction is out of Port Huron, Michigan, but also has crews in Sumter from Florida.
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Ricky Atkinson harvests soybeans to get them out of the path of Hurricane Florence on Wednesday, Sept. 13.
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Ricky Atkinson harvests soybeans to get them out of the path of Hurricane Florence on Wednesday, Sept. 13.
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
From left, Simpson Hardware employee Trey McLeod talks on Friday afternoon at the store with S.C. National Guard Staff Sgt. Michael King and Lt. Col. Adrian Priester.
Bruce Mills / The Sumter Item
At Bradford Family Watermelon on Friday, Sept. 14.
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Nat Bradford looks into the about 900 watermelons he has stored away from Hurricane Florence on Friday, Sept. 14.
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
The system to ration bread and water came from the experience of being open for the historic 1,000-year flood in 2015, Piggly Wiggly Store Operator Luther Jamison said. The aisle was empty on Friday, Sept. 14.
Bruce Mills / The Sumter Item
A lone package of bread is seen at the Piggly Wiggly on Broad Street Friday afternoon.
Bruce Mills / The Sumter Item
Employees at the Walmart Neighborhood Market on Pinewood Road restock bottled water on Wednesday, Sept. 12.
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
The bean aisle at the Walmart Neighborhood Market on Pinewood Road is near empty on Wednesday, Sept. 12.
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Simpson Hardware Manager Jeremy Ohl helps a customer Friday afternoon at the Wesmark Boulevard store. Ohl said the store plans to open at 8 a.m. Saturday, weather permitting.
Bruce Mills / The Sumter Item
Cars line up for gas at the Circle K on Broad Street on Tuesday, Sept. 11.
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
A man fills up three gas tanks at the Circle K on Broad St. Monday afternoon ahead of Hurricane Florence.
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Motorists line up to get gas at the Circle K on Broad Street on Tuesday, Sept. 11.
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
The Shell gas station in front of Alice Drive Baptist church was out of gas on Tuesday, Sept. 11.
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Patty Grimsley, a Red Cross volunteer, opens a trailer with cots and blankets outside of Mayewood Middle School on Thursday afternoon.
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Water and other supplies arrive to the Mayewood Middle School American Red Cross shelter on Thursday.
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Patty Grimsley, a Red Cross volunteer, wheels in cots to the Mayewood Middle School American Red Cross shelter on Thursday.
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Patty Grimsley, a Red Cross volunteer, wheels in cots to the Mayewood Middle School American Red Cross shelter on Thursday.
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
At the American Red Cross shelter at Mayewood Middle School on Thursday.
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Kelly Washington looks at the camera while Travis Johnson holds her during a meeting of American Red Cross volunteers and DSS employees at Mayewood Middle School Thursday.
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Surby Fullard, in maroon, and Chance Nero, in stripes, play around with Travis Johnson and Kelly Washington at the American Red Cross shelter at Mayewood Middle School on Thursday.
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
Children's items are packed in the front office of Mayewood Middle School, which was closed down at the end of last school year due to low enrollment and consolidation but was reopened this week as an American Red Cross shelter for Hurricane Florence.
Micah Green / The Sumter Item
The Sumter Opera House is protected on North Main Street Friday afternoon with sandbags.
Kayla Robins / The Sumter Item
The Liberty Center in downtown Sumter is barricaded by sandbags Friday afternoon.
Kayla Robins / The Sumter Item
Business fronts are taped and sandbagged ahead of Hurricane Florence's arrival on Friday afternoon in downtown Sumter.
Kayla Robins / The Sumter Item
The front door of Impressions clothing store on West Liberty Street is seen Friday afternoon with a message to Hurricane Florence.
Kayla Robins / The Sumter Item
Betty Baun and Sue Blackwell check out the breakfast being stored on Wednesday afternoon at the Red Cross shelter at Mayewood Middle School.
Sue Blackwell holds a Red Cross blanket at Mayewood Middle School on Wednesday.
An American Red Cross Disater Relief trailer sits outside Mayewood Middle School on Wednesday afternoon.
Steve Shumake, Red Cross disaster action team coordinator, shows one of the trucks that is used to distribute supplies to Lee, Sumter and Clarendon counties.
Posted
Residents, volunteers and officials spent the week preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Florence.