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Disaster Recovery Centers Opening in Kershaw, Laurens, Orangeburg Counties
October 31, 2024 Disaster Recovery Centers will open in Kershaw, Laurens and Orangeburg counties to provide in-person assistance to South Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene. Kershaw County Kershaw County Government Center 515 Walnut St. Camden, SC 29020 Open Nov. 1-10, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Laurens…
Winter Weather Expected in South Carolina (1)
January 8, 2025 Residents in South Carolina should monitor local weather conditions and continue winter safety preparations. Forecasters with the National Weather Service predict a wintry mix of rain, sleet, freezing rain and snow for portions of the state Friday into Saturday. “While it is too…
Gov. McMaster Declares State of Emergency Ahead of Winter Storm
January 21, 2026 Governor Henry McMaster today issued Executive Order 2026-02 declaring a State of Emergency in preparation for a winter storm system expected to impact the state beginning Saturday and continuing through the weekend, possibly into Monday. The governor's order activates the South…
Team SC Continues Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts, Tracking Hurricane Milton
October 7, 2024 As South Carolina continues its recovery efforts from the impacts of Hurricane Helene, state and local officials are closely monitoring Hurricane Milton, which is currently situated in the Gulf of Mexico. Current Situation: As of the latest advisory from the National Hurricane…
South Carolina Should Prepare for Hurricane Irma
September 6, 2017 Governor Henry McMaster today issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency and, along with the S.C. Emergency Management Division, has urged South Carolinians to prepare for the possibility of Hurricane Irma impacting the state. The executive order enables all state…
Governor Nikki Haley Urges Residents to Prepare for Hurricane Matthew
October 4, 2016 COLUMBIA, S.C. - Governor Nikki Haley today issued an executive order declaring a State of Emergency and asked residents to prepare for a potential evacuation of the South Carolina coast in advance of any impact from Hurricane Matthew. As state officials continue to monitor weather…
Gov. Henry McMaster Announces Opioid Emergency Response Plan
June 20, 2018 COLUMBIA, S.C. – Governor Henry McMaster today announced the South Carolina Opioid Emergency Response Plan , which details strategy and guidance developed to support state and local efforts to combat the opioid epidemic. The state Opioid Emergency Response Plan was developed as part…
September 10, 2018 COLUMBIA, S.C. – Governor Henry McMaster, in coordination with local officials, has issued Executive Order 2018-29, which orders the evacuation of coastal South Carolina residents for their personal safety as Hurricane Florence approaches. Residents in all hurricane evacuation…
SCEMD sends logistics chief to Kentucky
December 15, 2021 Governor Henry McMaster has authorized the South Carolina Emergency Management Division to send its Chief of Operations Support and Logistics to Kentucky to assist with tornado response and recovery efforts. The request for assistance from Kentucky came through the Emergency…
South Carolina has relatively few natural ponds and lakes. Virtually all ponds and lakes in the state were created by the construction of a dam. There are estimates of over 10,000 man-made dams in South Carolina, but the actual number may be as high as 50,000. The vast majority of dams are below…
SC Continues to Recover, One Year After Hurricane Helene
September 22, 2025 Columbia, S.C. – One year after Hurricane Helene impacted South Carolina, the state continues to make significant progress in its disaster recovery efforts. State, county, federal, and non-governmental partners continue coordinated efforts to support communities in rebuilding…
South Carolina Winter Weather Preparedness Week November 24, 2020 Governor Henry McMaster has proclaimed the week of November 29 through December 5, 2020, as South Carolina Winter Weather Preparedness Week. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division and the National Weather Service along…
A large-scale disaster anywhere in the state could disrupt normal operations and affect employees of any business. Every business in South Carolina should have continuity and safety plans in place prior to a major incident. Preparing Your Business for COVID-19 Emergency Support Function (ESF) 24…
October 5, 2016 Columbia, S.C. (Wednesday, October 5, 2016) – The South Carolina Response Team today announced the opening of shelters across the state for residents and visitors who are evacuating from coastal areas as Hurricane Matthew approaches. Shelters began opening on Wednesday, October 5,…
Emergencies such as a tornado touchdown can happen with little to no warning, leaving you only seconds to take action to protect yourself and your family. SCEMD recommends having a NOAA certified tone-alert weather radio with a back up power supply (batteries or hand crank). You want to make sure…
Community Vaccination Center Hits Milestone
April 25, 2021 Today, more than 4,000 people have received their COVID-19 vaccine at South Carolina’s Community Vaccination Center at Columbia Place Mall. This temporary mass vaccination clinic, which opened April 13, is operating for another six weeks and currently offers the Pfizer vaccine. “I’m…
The statewide tornado drill will be conducted Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at 9 a.m. Public schools, state and local Emergency Management, the South Carolina Broadcasters Association, and others will participate in this annual event. The purpose of the drill is to test communication systems, safety…
What can you do to prepare for an emergency? Have a family emergency plan. A family emergency plan will let the members of your family know what to do in the event of an emergency. The plan should contain: Emergency contact numbers for the members of your family, the police department, fire…
South Carolina Prepares for Hurricane Ian
September 28, 2022 Hurricane Ian is now expected to cross Florida and bring tropical storm conditions to much of South Carolina, according to forecasters with the National Hurricane Center. People in South Carolina should expect high winds, heavy rain, flash flooding, flooding due to storm surge…
August 21, 2017 On August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will be visible along a thin, roughly 100 mile-wide path that runs diagonally across America from Oregon to South Carolina. Beginning around 2:38 p.m. on Monday, August 21, 2017, viewers who have gathered in areas like Greenville, Columbia…
