This funding significantly impacts the areas Helene hit hardest – extending support from three months to four. With this extra funding, storm-damaged communities can now access public assistance grants.

The money helps repair damage and strengthen their roads, buildings, and critical infrastructure following the severe weather that devastated the area from late September into October 2024. “Having extra time to clean up and restore our community is vitally important,” Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson recently told concerned residents at a packed community meeting, according to WDRW-TV.

Cleanup crews in Augusta have handled most of the immediate aftermath, completing 90% of initial cleanup operations. “The quicker you get cleaned up, the faster you can recover,” says Steve Cassell from ISM Engineering.

The next phase starts in 2025, while city officials look to hire more contractors. After New Year’s, Richmond County crews will head out again. This break gives local authorities time to organize paperwork and submit their expenses for federal reimbursement.

Meanwhile, city leaders are planning major repairs. Their strategy combines fixing damage with smart upgrades to protect streets and buildings from future storms.

“Our plan, believe it or not, involves a long-term recovery aspect. Removing debris and cleaning our city up is a primary goal, but our focus is starting to shift to how we make Augusta better than we were prior to Hurricane Helene,” says Johnson with a hopeful tone.