2022 News Releases

FEMA Aid now available for Hurricane Ian November 22, 2022 At the request of Governor Henry McMaster, the President has declared a disaster exists in South Carolina as a result of Hurricane Ian. Residents who suffered damage in Charleston, Georgetown and Horry counties may now register for…

2023 News Releases

SCEMD Achieves National Reaccreditation November 29, 2023 The Emergency Management Accreditation Program has granted the South Carolina Emergency Management Division full national accreditation. This national certification program examined the state's ability to respond to and prepare for…

2021 News Releases

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. Read More About SCEMD sends…

Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams Working in South Carolina

September 26, 2018 COLUMBIA, S.C. – FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams are working in South Carolina areas affected by Hurricane Florence, but survivors with uninsured or underinsured losses should not wait for one of these teams to arrive before they register with FEMA. DSA teams are…

Hurricane Season 2022

May 26, 2022 Governor Henry McMaster proclaimed May 29 through June 4 to be South Carolina Hurricane Preparedness Week. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division, county emergency managers, the National Weather Service along with all members of the State Emergency Response Team urge…

South Carolina Winter Weather Preparedness Week (3)

November 20, 2023 Governor Henry McMaster has proclaimed that South Carolina Winter Weather Preparedness Week for 2023 will be observed from November 26 through December 2, 2023. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division, the National Weather Service and the agencies comprising the State…

30 Days After Hurricane Helene, Recovery Continues in South Carolina

November 1, 2024 – Hurricane Helene made landfall on Sept. 26, bringing destructive winds, flooding, tornadoes, and extensive damage to utility infrastructure and homes in South Carolina that evening into the following day. Since then, FEMA has deployed more than 650 personnel across the state and…

2025 News Releases

SC Winter Weather Preparedness Week December 1, 2025 Governor Henry McMaster has proclaimed November 30 through December 6, 2025, as Winter Weather Preparedness Week in South Carolina. Read More About SC Winter Weather Preparedness Week SCEMD Issues Notice About Emergency Notification System…

South Carolina Marks 10 Years Since Historic 2015 Flooding

October 1, 2025 Columbia, S.C. – October 2025 marks ten years since the historic flooding event that devastated much of South Carolina. The October 2015 flood remains one of the most widespread disasters in the state’s history, prompting a major disaster declaration in 36 counties and leading to…

2024 News Releases

Governor Henry McMaster Requests Major Disaster Declaration Following Severe November Flooding December 13, 2024 Governor Henry McMaster today requested a Major Presidential Disaster Declaration to assist state and local recovery efforts following severe storms and heavy rainfall that caused…

SCEMD attends SCEMA 2024 conference

February 26, 2024 Emergency managers throughout South Carolina came together in the Lowcountry last week for the annual South Carolina Emergency Management Association (SCEMA) conference. This event provides a platform for emergency managers to build strong relationships that can be relied upon to…

2016 News Releases

Winter Weather Preparedness Week December 4, 2016 COLUMBIA, S.C. – Governor Nikki Haley has proclaimed the week of December 4 through December 10, 2016, as South Carolina Winter Weather Preparedness Week. Read More About Winter Weather Preparedness Week S.C. Residents Have Two Weeks to Apply for…

Hurricane Traffic Management

The South Carolina Emergency Management Division has partnered with the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS), the lead agency for emergency traffic management, and the SC Department of Transportation (SCDOT) to provide information that pertains to emergency traffic management in the…

Berkeley, Charleston And Chesterfield Counties Eligible For FEMA Individual Assistance

October 26, 2016 COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency approved three additional counties for Individual Assistance, allowing survivors who sustained losses to apply for aid in the wake of Hurricane Matthew. Counties approved for FEMA Individual Assistance include: Berkeley,…

S.C. Hurricane Guide Available May 28, 2017

May 28, 2017 The official 2017 S.C. Hurricane Guide will be released via newspaper subscription and rack sales Thursday, May 25 , in the Georgetown County Chronicle and the South Strand News; Friday, May 26 , in the Georgetown Times; Sunday, May 28 , in The Beaufort Gazette, the Charleston Post…

October 2015 Flooding Incident

October 10, 2015 Incident Period: October 1-23, 2015 Storm related fatalities: 19 Displaced citizens: more than 20,000 Shelters: 32 (includes standby locations) 26 counties with shelters 941 citizens sheltered Emergency meals served: more than 2,000,000 Citizens without water: 40,000 Highway…

Our Vision and Mission

SCEMD's Vision To be an accomplished and innovative leader in emergency management that is ready, relevant, resilient and responsive. SCEMD's Mission The South Carolina Emergency Management Division leads the state emergency management program by supporting local authorities to minimize the loss…

Georgetown County Residents Eligible for FEMA Individual Assistance Program

September 26, 2018 COLUMBIA, S.C. - At the request of Governor Henry McMaster, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has amended its disaster declaration for Hurricane Florence to make residents in Georgetown County eligible to apply for the Individual Assistance program. Residents in…

Working with SCEMD

Work that makes a difference! The South Carolina Emergency Management Division seeks exceptional men and women to join our team and help the agency to meet our important mission of protecting lives and property. Visit the South Carolina Careers website for information on state employment…

History

The South Carolina Emergency Management Division can trace its lineage back to 1950, although a predecessor in some form probably existed in the context of the Home Guard, which was established during World War II. South Carolina Civil Defense was organized under Act 888 of 1950 as a division of…