Equipo Carolina del Sur se prepara para Huracán Florence

September 12, 2018 COLUMBIA, S.C. – El equipo de respuesta a emergencias de Carolina del Sur continúa monitoreando Huracán Florence y sigue completamente dedicado a prepararse para su potencial impacto en Carolina del Sur. Los meteorólogos afirman que actualmente Florence es un huracán de…

South Carolina Winter Weather Preparedness Week

December 3, 2018 Columbia, S.C. - Governor Henry McMaster has proclaimed the week of December 2 through December 8, 2018, as South Carolina Winter Weather Preparedness Week. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division and the National Weather Service along with the agencies that comprise the…

South Carolina Winter Weather Preparedness Week (1)

November 27, 2019 Columbia, S.C. (Wednesday, November 27) - Governor Henry McMaster has proclaimed the week of December 1 through December 7, 2019, as South Carolina Winter Weather Preparedness Week. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division and the National Weather Service along with the…

Expect tropical storm conditions Monday

August 2, 2020 COLUMBIA, S.C. – Residents should finalize their storm preparations ahead of Tropical Storm Isaias. Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center predict South Carolina’s coast will experience tropical storm conditions beginning late Monday and into Tuesday morning. Forecasters say…

South Carolina Winter Weather Preparedness Week 2021

November 29, 2021 Columbia, S.C. (Monday, November 29) - Governor Henry McMaster has proclaimed the week of November 28 through December 4, 2021, as South Carolina Winter Weather Preparedness Week. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division and the National Weather Service along with the…

Hurricane Preparedness Month

April 27, 2023 Columbia, S.C. – Governor Henry McMaster has proclaimed the month of May to be the first South Carolina Hurricane Preparedness Month. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division, county emergency managers, the National Weather Service along with all members of the State…

Gov. Henry McMaster Orders Mandatory Evacuations for Coastal Counties Effective Tomorrow, September 11 at Noon

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…

2020 Hurricane Season: Time, Space, People, Place

May 28, 2020 Columbia, S.C. – Governor Henry McMaster has proclaimed May 31 through June 6 to be South Carolina Hurricane Preparedness Week. Residents, businesses and communities in South Carolina should begin preparations for the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Advanced preparation and planning…

Dam Failure

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…

Emergency Managers Monitor Tropical Storm Hermine

September 2, 2016 Columbia, SC – September 2, 2016, 5:15 p.m. - The strong winds and continued rainfall across the majority of the state have resulted in numerous closures and delays. The South Carolina Emergency Operations Center will continue to provide response assistance until Hermine or its…

Family Disaster Plan

Create a Family Disaster Plan Meet with your family and discuss why you need to prepare for disaster. Many families already have an emergency plan for a house fire, so making an all-hazard plan will just add a few more details. Every member of the family will have a role during an emergency, so it…

South Carolina Winter Weather Preparedness Week (2)

November 25, 2020 Columbia, S.C. - 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 with the agencies that comprise…

State Agencies Urge Patience as Recovery Efforts Continue; Offer Guidance on Vetting Contractors

October 3, 2024 Cleanup operations are in full swing in the wake of Hurricane Helene, and while progress is being made, the road to full recovery will take time. Continued Efforts and Support South Carolina's state agencies and local partners report the following as of 2:00 p.m. today: The South…

S.C. Severe Weather and Flood Safety Week March 10-16, 2019

March 7, 2019 COLUMBIA, S.C. (March 7, 2019) — Governor Henry McMaster has proclaimed that South Carolina Severe Weather and Flood Safety Week for 2019 will be observed March 10-16. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division and the National Weather Service jointly sponsor the week to remind…

S.C. Severe Weather and Flood Safety Week March 8-14, 2020

March 6, 2020 COLUMBIA, S.C. (March 6, 2020) — Governor Henry McMaster has proclaimed that South Carolina Severe Weather and Flood Safety Week for 2020 will be observed March 8-14. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division and the National Weather Service jointly sponsor the week to remind…

Business Operations

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…

FAQ

What is SCEMD? The South Carolina Emergency Management Division is a part of the S.C. Department of the military and is the primary division of state government that is responsible for coordinating the preparation for, the response to and the recovery from major disasters in South Carolina. I have…

Earthquakes

Many people are unaware of how common earthquakes are in South Carolina. Approximately 10 to 15 earthquakes are recorded annually in South Carolina with 3 to 5 of them felt or noticed by people. About 70 percent of South Carolina earthquakes are located in the Middleton Place-Summerville Seismic…

Winter Storm, January, 2016

January 22, 2016 Columbia, S.C. (Friday, January 22 2016, 5:30 P.M.) - The South Carolina Management Division continues to monitor the winter weather that is blanketing the eastern United States. Presently, Upstate and northern Midlands counties are experiencing various forms of precipitation to…