Reach South Carolina (ReachSC)

The primary method of mass public notifications continues to be the broadcast media and selected use of route alerting.  However, there is a need for contacting portions of the public in special situations and at times when they are not monitoring the media, such as late at night.  The Reach South Carolina (Reach SC) emergency notification system offers a low-cost, web-based tool for authorized officials to assist in the process of providing an emergency message via a telephone call-out system.  The system is available to all county emergency management organizations, however several organizations have purchased and use other notification systems better suited to their needs.

Reaching the Public

Reach SC provides a telephone alerting function that can be used to contact residents and businesses within a small, selected geographic area. An emergency telephone message from Reach SC would provide important information.  

https://www.reachsc.sc.gov/HealthAlertNetwork/

Reaching Emergency Responders

Reach South Carolina is an interactive tool linking state and local authorities and medical personnel during preparations for and responses to emergency situations. Reach SC is capable of alerting emergency responders in critical situations.

Reach SC is a stand-alone system comprised of various computer servers and dedicated telephone lines housed at SCEMD.  

The Reach SC system database includes approximately 1.2 million residential and commercial telephone numbers for South Carolina and the quarterly updates to that data provided by the contract vendor.  The telephone data is also geo-referenced for use with a web-based map interface for authorized alerters.  Reach SC is also linked to additional phone lines available from the contract provider.

Reach SC is a joint development project supported by SCEMD and DHEC.   The Reach SC notification system also serves DHEC as the state's Health Alert Network (HAN).

The inital Reach SC project working group included and grateful acknowledgement to:

• South Carolina Emergency Management Division
• Department of Health and Environmental Control
• Proxicom, Inc. (iCrossing, Inc)
• Avtex Corp (CityWatch).
• Advanced Solutions Group (USC)
• SC Chapter of National Emergency Number Association
• Lee County Communications and Emergency Management
• Pickens County Emergency Management
• State Law Enforcement Division
• Budget and Control Board, Office of Research and Statistics