Barefoot resident helps uncover edited tapes that highlight wildfire evacuation

New information obtained by a Barefoot resident, former private investigator Mike Ragusa, and News 13, shows how the evacuation of Barefoot residents was handled during the morning of the North Myrtle Beach wildfires on April 23.

Using the Freedom of Information Act, Ragusa and News 13 obtained North Myrtle Beach Public Safety dash cam videos and dispatch calls from that night.

The video shows the fire was first spotted after it flared up off of Highway 90 by North Myrtle Beach Police Lt. Guy Johnson at 12:56 a.m.

BY THE NUMBERS

Click here to listen to the calls recorded by 911 dispatch on April 23, as presented to the public.

Click here to go to listen to the raw audio of the calls.

12:56 a.m.: Lieutenant Guy Johnson says he drove over to Watertower Road because he was curious about the fire. He says he became concerned about Barefoot and wanted to learn more about what was happening.

1:23 a.m.: Lieutenant Guy Johnson learns the fire is going to jump. Johnson says he did not know when it would jump or in what direction. Johnson calls Director of Public Safety William Bailey. Bailey says he was asleep and cell phone coverage at his home in Little River is spotty. The call goes to Bailey's voicemail and Johnson leaves a message.

The fire is seen jumping S.C. 22 on Johnson's dashcam. Johnson immediately asks dispatch to evacuate Barefoot residents and notify Bailey.

Residents still being evacuated from Barefoot. Director Bailey says evacuation ended around 4 a.m..

Johnson said he learned through the South Carolina Forestry Commission that the fire was going to jump at 1:23 a.m. Johnson said he did not know when and where it would jump. But, because he was concerned, he called North Myrtle Beach Director of Public Safety William Bailey. Bailey said he was asleep when the call was made and cell phone service in his home in Little River was spotty, which he said is why he missed the call.

In the voicemail message, Johnson said, "Uh, William. Just giving you a shout. I know it's late. But this thing is getting close to 22. I would probably say it's probably less than a mile, a quarter of a mile from 22 and they're saying it's gonna to jump. I just gonna kinda keep you updated. I think they're getting ready to close down 22 through here cause it's getting that close. Um, and I'm getting concerned about Barefoot but, uh, we'll keep an eye on it. I'll try and keep you posted.”

Twenty-six minutes after Johnson left that voicemail message on Bailey’s phone, the fire exploded at 1:48 a.m. and crossed Highway 22 into Barefoot.

Johnson immediately called dispatchers, telling them to use the city’s reverse 911 system to call and order Barefoot residents to evacuate their homes. He also told the dispatcher to notify Bailey.

Bailey said dispatchers got in touch with him as he was on the move at 1:52 a.m.

But, an original version of dispatch calls shows Bailey may have talked to dispatchers later than that.

On the original dispatch tape, a conversation between Dispatcher Cory and Maj. Walt Floyd was cross referenced to other police communications made at 2:02 p.m. In that conversation, the dispatcher tells Floyd, “We can’t get a hold of Bailey.” That conversation is followed by the call from Dispatcher Cory to Bailey. The time of the call is unknown, but it comes after the call at 2:02 a.m. shown on the original tape.

At a public task force meeting held on May 22 in which residents could listen to dispatch calls and ask officials involved in the wildfire response questions, Bailey’s call to dispatchers was played before the call between dispatchers and Floyd. The phrase “We can’t get a hold of Bailey” was taken out of the call.

Bailey said he doesn’t know who edited the tapes and why they would edit the tapes. As of 4:30 p.m. on Monday, North Myrtle Beach Public Information Officer Nicole Aiello said the investigation into who edited the tapes is ongoing.