Lincoln County urges residents to shelter in place as 'Storm Fern' brings freezing rain and possible outages

Lincoln County officials convened an emergency operations briefing and urged residents to shelter in place and avoid all nonessential travel as Storm Fern approaches.

Captain Cobb, supervisor over field operations for the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, told residents: "If you don't have to go out, please don't go out. Stay at home." He advised people to be off the roads by "06:00," to call 911 for true emergencies and said the sheriff's office would take necessary precautions to respond safely.

Director Broom, Lincoln County's emergency management director, said the National Weather Service in Columbia updated the forecast and the timing shifted later in the evening, with the storm expected to strike "between about 10 p.m. and midnight." He said officials expect a freezing rain event with "accumulations up to almost a half an inch by morning," warned of black ice and possible power outages, and urged residents to be prepared to be self-supported for "at least 72 hours." Broom also cautioned that recreational vehicles handle poorly on ice and advised extreme caution.

Officials asked residents to reserve 911 for true emergencies; for non-emergency questions they asked callers to use 359-4118 because dispatch lines were experiencing high volume. County staff said the Emergency Operations Center would reconvene at 9:30 a.m. to assess conditions and provide a public update later the following day.

Chairman announced that Lincoln County government offices would be closed Monday and that county leaders would decide Monday whether to resume operations Tuesday. Essential personnel were asked to report as normal. Director Johnny Walton was identified as the point person for public information on the county website and social media.

The county encouraged residents to prepare by securing heat and fuel, assembling food and water supplies and checking on neighbors who may need assistance. Officials said they will continue to post operational updates to the county's public channels and provide further guidance after the 9:30 a.m. Emergency Operations Center check-in.