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Funeral services set for one of two SC firefighters killed during Hurricane Helene

Saluda volunteer firefighters Chad Satcher and Landon Bodie died responding to a structure fire on Beulah Road when their vehicle was hit by a tree as Hurricane Helene tore through South Carolina on Friday, September 27, 2024.
Saluda volunteer firefighters Chad Satcher and Landon Bodie died responding to a structure fire on Beulah Road when their vehicle was hit by a tree as Hurricane Helene tore through South Carolina on Friday, September 27, 2024. jboucher@thestate.com

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Hurricane Helene

Hurricane Helene is gaining strength and is forecast to track north toward SC where it will bring heavy rain & strong winds to the Midlands.

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Funeral services have been announced for one of the two Saluda County volunteer firefighters who died Friday while responding to an incident during Hurricane Helene.

Firefighters George Chad Satcher, 53, Landon Cale Bodie, 18, of the Circle Fire Department, were killed Sept. 27 when a tree fell on their fire engine en route to a structure fire near Batesburg-Leesville.

In a release posted to Facebook, the Saluda County Fire Service said the funeral for Satcher, who was a chief, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 5 at the Batesburg-Leesville High School Fine Arts Center, with interment to follow in Ridge Crest Memorial Park. The family will receive family and friends from 4 to 6 p.m., Friday, October 4 at the Milton Shealy Funeral Home of Batesburg.

Funeral service information for Bodie was still pending as of Sunday night.

“We would like to thank our community, state and nation for the outpouring of comfort and support during this difficult time,” the Saluda County Fire Service said in the release. “Please continue to keep our firefighters and families in your thoughts and prayers as they begin to heal from this loss.”

Satcher and Bodie are believed to be the first in their department’s history to have died in the line of duty, according to Saluda County Fire Services Coordinator Mark Lybrand.

This story was originally published September 30, 2024 at 7:13 AM.

Chris Trainor
The State
Chris Trainor is a retail reporter for The State and has been working for newspapers in South Carolina for more than 21 years, including previous stops at the (Greenwood) Index-Journal and the (Columbia) Free Times. He is the winner of a host of South Carolina Press Association awards, including honors in column writing, government beat reporting, profile writing, food writing, business beat reporting, election coverage, social media and more.
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Hurricane Helene

Hurricane Helene is gaining strength and is forecast to track north toward SC where it will bring heavy rain & strong winds to the Midlands.