Hurricane Matthew made landfall near McClellanville, SC on October 8th, 2016 at 10:45 AM EDT. Though it was a Category 1 hurricane at the time of landfall, the storm and its remnants would go on to dump 10-17 inches of rain on Georgia and the Carolinas. The Waccamaw and Little Pee Dee rivers crested at historic levels, causing catastrophic flooding that displaced tens of thousand of Grand Strand residents and caused approximately $250 million in property damages across the state.

One of the many casualties of Hurricane Matthew was the Nichols Volunteer Fire Department. Located in Marion County, SC near the Lumber River, the Nichols fire station was rendered a complete loss due to the flooding. As the small town’s only fire department, getting these hard working volunteers back in operation was a critical priority for the community. That’s why Venture Engineering was proud to perform full service engineering for the new Nichols fire station. Venture completed the civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering for the project, working hand-in-hand with key stakeholders and other contractors to get this vital community organization back on its feet.

Venture was also on-hand during the facility’s October 8, 2019 grand opening–three years to the day after Matthew made landfall. The new building featured 3 full garage bays as well as offices, break areas, and bunk space. Venture has been and always will be a partner for progress and revitalization in the local community. Though our projects range across the Southeast, our heart is firmly rooted in the Grand Strand and Pee Dee regions, and we couldn’t be more proud to stand by the residents of Nichols and the hard working men and women of the Nichols Volunteer Fire Department.