03-January-2018 – Winter Storm Grayson – “A”, “B” and “C” Shifts

Incident # - Multiple – An unseasonable winter storm began Wednesday 03-Janaury beginning with freezing rain which turned to snow blanketing the east coast and covering roads with ice and snow, including the SC Lowcountry Region. Freezing temperatures continued for five days. Traffic continued which caused multiple motor vehicle collisions along secondary roads, highways and Interstate 95. Law Enforcement, DOT and Fire-Rescue were overwhelmed with the number of accidents. Safety conditions prevented many vehicles from being towed for several days. Temperatures for several days following the storm did not reach much over freezing, preventing the ice and snow from welting and causing the dangerous road conditions to continue through the weekend. Several highways, including portions of Interstate 95 were closed. One to two inches of ice covered roadways throughout the Lowcountry. Most businesses and schools closed Wednesday through Friday. The large number of accidents stranded many out of town travelers. Colleton County opened three shelters to house the stranded travelers. Sheriff’s Deputies, Assessor’s Office and Fire-Rescue personnel in 4x4 trucks ferried the people from accident scenes and Colleton Medical Center to the various shelters. The area received 3 to 6 inches of snow and roads were covered with two inches of ice for several days. Additional DOT crews were brought in from other areas of the State to assist.