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Disaster Recovery Center Opening in Darlington County
October 17, 2018 COLUMBIA, S.C. – The State of South Carolina and FEMA are opening a Disaster Recovery Center in Darlington (Darlington County) Wednesday, Oct. 17. Eight additional centers are open in the areas affected by Hurricane Florence. The centers offer in-person support to individuals and…
Survivors Who Don’t Agree with FEMA Decision Have a Right to Appeal
October 24, 2018 All applicants for FEMA recovery assistance have the right to appeal if they disagree with FEMA’s determination. The first step is for the survivor to read their entire FEMA determination letter carefully. This letter will provide information about the types of assistance FEMA has…
President Declares Disaster for April Storm
May 2, 2020 COLUMBIA, S.C. - At the request of Governor Henry McMaster, President Donald Trump has declared a disaster exists in South Carolina as a result of severe storms and tornadoes on April 12-13, 2020. Residents who suffered storm damage in the following seven counties may now register for…
New Website, New Guide for Hurricane Season
May 27, 2021 South Carolina residents have a new, state-of-the-art resource to help them be better prepared for hurricanes. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division today officially launched hurricane.sc , an interactive website that will guide people through the fundamentals of being…
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…
Snow & Ice to Hit South Carolina, Freezing Temps Statewide
January 27, 2014 Columbia, S.C. (Monday, January 27, 5:00 P.M.) - The South Carolina Emergency Management Division asks residents to prepare themselves and their homes for a dangerous developing winter weather situation. The National Weather Service says the forecast for this week calls for snow…
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…
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…
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…
Governor Declares State of Emergency (1)
September 8, 2018 COLUMBIA, S.C. (Saturday, September 8, 1:30 p.m.) – 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 Florence…
Prepare for Another Round of Winter Weather
January 20, 2022 The South Carolina Emergency Management Division asks residents to prepare themselves and their homes for possible winter weather. The National Weather Service predicts the possibility of snow, freezing rain and ice accumulations in much of the state lasting into Saturday. “South…
Ian Expected to Make Landfall in South Carolina
September 29, 2022 The National Hurricane Center recently issued a hurricane warning for portions of the South Carolina coast. Forecasters now believe Ian, which is currently a tropical storm, will make landfall somewhere near Charleston as a Category One hurricane. Everyone should finalize their…
South Carolina was affected by fourteen major disasters between 2014 to 2025. Below is a summary of the overall disaster impact for each event. Edisto Flooding 2024 In early November 2024, a non-tropical weather system caused major flooding in Orangeburg County, with 12-15 inches of rain falling…
Register for CodeRed Emergency Alerts
May 14, 2017 Get emergency notifications from SCEMD by phone, text and email. Alert Types: Notifications will be sent out when a major disaster is imminent or has just occurred, at the request of county emergency managers and various emergency situations requiring you to take personal protective…
S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles deploys mobile units to areas affected by Hurricane Matthew
October 11, 2016 COLUMBIA, S.C. – In an effort to better serve citizens affected by Hurricane Matthew and subsequent flooding, the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will be operating limited offices in Lowcountry, Pee Dee, and Grand Strand counties. These openings will occur…
Residents Should Prepare for Winter Weather
January 5, 2017 The South Carolina Emergency Management Division asks residents to prepare themselves and their homes for possible winter weather. Forecasters with the National Weather Service expect a wintry mix of snow, ice and rain for much of the state beginning Friday evening and lasting…
SCEMD Urges Severe Weather Precautions
February 23, 2016 COLUMBIA, S.C. (Tuesday, February 23, 2016, 4 p.m.) - The South Carolina Emergency Management Division urges everyone to stay alert for severe weather and possible tornadoes beginning tonight and into tomorrow. Forecasters with the Storm Prediction Center has placed South…
SCEMD monitors Hurricane Florence
September 7, 2018 Columbia, S.C -The South Carolina Emergency Management Division is monitoring Hurricane Florence, which forecasters say could affect the East Coast next week. As a result of the storm's projected movement toward the United States, key local and state agencies have been notified…
SCEMD monitors Hurricane Michael
October 8, 2018 South Carolina residents should monitor Hurricane Michael, which could affect many parts of the state after making landfall along the Gulf Coast. Forecasters with the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center believe South Carolina could experience periods of heavy…
Team South Carolina Begins Transition to Normal Operations Following Tropical Storm Michael
October 11, 2018 COLUMBIA, S.C. – As the need for immediate life-safety and disaster response resources begins to subside across the state, agencies are beginning the transition to normal, daily operations. Tropical Storm Michael is continuing to move rapidly out of South Carolina. Forecasters…
