BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. – The Berkeley County Emergency Preparedness Agency has a new name.
At county council’s meeting on Tuesday, members approved a resolution amending the title of Berkeley County Emergency Preparedness Agency (EPA) to Berkeley County Emergency Management Department (EMD).
County officials say the change was necessary to update an outdated statute, allow the department to meet state and national guidance and clarify its role in the county.
County officials said the original resolution established the disaster preparedness agency as an element of civil defense, which has been defunct since the end of the Cold War. The original resolution also restricted the county department’s abilities to address natural and man-made disasters.
“We wanted to update that statute to allow the department to better meet the hazards and challenges of the modern world, Ben Almquist, county EMD director, said.
The emergency management department works to effectively plan so that the county is prepared for any and all types of potential disasters, from natural ones (i.e. hurricanes and earthquakes, etc.) to man-made ones (i.e. chemical spills, terrorism, etc) in order to ensure the safety of all county citizens and property. The department coordinates and oversees all emergency response organizations, support services and volunteers during such emergency events.
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