COLUMBIA, S.C. – Governor Henry McMaster today issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency and urges South Carolinians to prepare for the possibility of Hurricane Dorian impacting the state. The executive order enables all state agencies to coordinate resources and sets into effect the State Emergency Operations Plan.
The declaration by the governor also authorizes state and local emergency management agencies to begin mobilizing assets and resources to be staged along the coast ahead of any potential impact from Hurricane Dorian.
“Given the strength and unpredictability of the storm, we must prepare for every possible scenario,” said Gov. McMaster. “State assets are being mobilized now and Team South Carolina is working around the clock to be ready, if necessary. We encourage all South Carolinians who may be impacted by Hurricane Dorian to be vigilant and prepare now – there is no reason for delay.”
For more information visit scemd.org or follow @SCEMD on Twitter and Facebook.
Individual Preparation
Residents in South Carolina should begin the necessary preparations for the possible effects of Hurricane Dorian. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division is monitoring the storm, which forecasters say could affect the state beginning next week.
Residents should review their plans and consider actions they would need to take if the storm threatens the state. Everyone should monitor the storm via local news media, National Weather Service offices and follow updates from official, verified sources, such as @SCEMD on social media.
“We’ve been watching Hurricane Dorian very closely over the past week. The current forecast track indicates Dorian will stay out to sea, just off the coast of Florida, and may impact South Carolina,” SCEMD Director Kim Stenson said, “It is vital that every resident have a personal emergency plan and be ready to take action if told to do so.”
Residents should download the SC Emergency Manager mobile app to build a personal emergency plan, keep track of emergency supplies, and have a way to stay connected with loved ones in addition to official emergency information. The SC Emergency Manager is available in the App Store and on Google Play: http://onelink.to/dn92rx
The official 2019 S.C. Hurricane Guide is available at scemd.org.
The South Carolina Emergency Response Team is now at Operational Condition Level Two. OPCON 2 means a disaster or emergency is likely to affect the state and Emergency Operations Plans are implemented. The State Emergency Operations Center is partially activated with SCEMD staff in preparation for a full-scale activation Sunday.
Emergency managers are making initial preparations for the possibility of any hazardous situations while select personnel from SCEMD’s Operations and Preparedness sections continue to monitor Hurricane Dorian from the State Emergency Operations Center in West Columbia.