Without food, clean water, or electricity, daily life quickly comes to a stand-still. When contending with billions of dollars in damages across hundreds of miles of devastation, a lack of these basic necessities becomes an even bigger obstacle. When Hurricane Helene swept across the Southeastern United States, causing catastrophic flooding and landslides, Twice the Ice (TTI) and parent company Ice House America (IHA) stepped in to provide free ice and water machines to help with relief efforts.
Hurricane Helene’s Devastation
Hurricane Helene quickly became a Category 4 storm as it moved across the Caribbean in September of 2024, and it struck Florida and several states across the Southeast with incredible force. Its effects were felt farther inland than any recent hurricane, bringing shocking levels of wind and rain to areas that had not expected and were not prepared to receive such intensity. Damages across Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina were especially intense due to record-breaking rains, flooding, and storm surges.
With some areas experiencing 140 mph winds, 20 inches of rain or more, and 25 foot storm surges, hundreds of miles of roads across the South and Appalachia were washed out, leaving many communities isolated and inaccessible. Down trees destroyed power lines, overflowing rivers washed away homes, and hundreds lost their lives. The winds and flooding were so severe that it was considered not just a once-in-a-life event, but a once-in-1,000-year event.
Obstacles to Relief Efforts
Emergency responders, utility workers, FEMA, and others faced multiple challenges when conducting relief efforts. First, miles of damaged power lines resulted in millions of households losing power. Without power, feeding and housing residents who had lost their homes was challenging enough, but it was also necessary to feed and house relief workers. Many rural areas faced an additional challenge; washed out roads made them difficult or even impossible to reach with vehicles. Amongst other challenges, multiple washed out poultry operations and huge storm surges contaminated tap water.
TTI and IHA worked to help with these challenges by providing free, safe ice to emergency workers. With ice, workers and residents could keep their foods and drinks cold, making it easier to access perishable food. The ice machines could also provide clean water when connected to a safe water line.
Ice and Water to Rural Georgia
IHA and TTI partnered with several local organizations to provide ice machines to three rural communities in Georgia. First, IHA and TTI partnered with GreenPoint AG and the Ocilla Methodist Church to bring ice and water to Ocilla, Georgia. The Methodist Church provided a clean water supply and GreenPoint AG provided the diesel fuel needed to run the machine from a generator when local electricity was not available. This allowed residents, emergency workers, and utility workers to access ice and water easily. Previously, the closest location to get ice was the town of Tifton, miles away.
After about a week, emergency workers were able to reestablish power and the need for ice dwindled in Ocilla. The machine was then moved to Pearson, Georgia, which was still without power. The machine was placed at the Pearson courthouse, and the City of Pearson provided the diesel fuel to power the machine in absence of electricity, as well as access to the water line
An additional machine was placed in Douglas, Georgia. This machine was critical, providing ice and water to emergency workers who had been working around the clock to help recovery efforts. The City of Douglas also provided fuel and access to clean water. The demand at this location was high, and an existing machine that had been damaged in the storm, was repaired so it could continue to serve the community.
Hurricane Relief: Past and Future
Hurricanes have become more intense in recent years. Evidence indicates that hurricanes will continue to grow in intensity, which includes growing in intensity at a faster rate. This is likely to lead to more intense damages and more lives lost, especially if communities are unprepared for these quickly intensifying storms.
For over 20 years, IHA and TTI have provided ice machines to communities affected by hurricanes. In 2005, IHA donated two of the largest ice vending units to the Houston Astrodome, where victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita had temporarily relocated. Since then, IHA and TTI have placed machines in vulnerable communities and donated hundreds of pounds of ice in the wake of Hurricanes Ida, Matthew, Irma, Harvey, Michael, Maria, Dorian, and many more.
IHA and TTI will continue to provide ice machines when the need arises, and will continue to help communities affected by hurricanes and other natural disasters. There are many obstacles to overcome when disasters strike, and every bit of assistance makes an impact.
