Governor Nikki Haley holds hurricane preparedness meetings in coastal counties

Governor Nikki Haley today joined Kim Stenson, Director of the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD), in a series of hurricane readiness meetings with state, local government, and public safety officials traveling to South Carolina’s coastal counties.

“Being prepared for hurricane season is a process that happens all year long and across the state,” Gov. Haley said. “Every year we meet with local officials and every year we develop new and more efficient ways to help our citizens and families be better prepared and ready for any possibility. This is about being safe and having a plan.”

Initial reports from the National Hurricane Center are predicting the 2014 storm season to be mild with approximately 12 name storms, six of those being hurricanes in the Atlantic. With a coastal population of 1.2 million it is important for South Carolinians to know their hurricane evacuation zones and their vulnerability to storm surge to determine the best evacuation routes. South Carolina’s hurricane zones can be found on the South Carolina Emergency Management Division’s website – http://goo.gl/7T20eG.

“We ask every South Carolinian to join us by making sure emergency plans at home are tested, that you have enough disaster supplies that are readily available and that families and businesses know what to do in a crisis,” said SCEMD Director Kim Stenson.

“With the onset of the 2014 Atlantic Tropical Storm Season, the Governor’s annual visit is vitally important to re-confirming the collaboration between state and local entities.  We cannot make plans in a vacuum,” said Neil Baxley, Beaufort County Emergency Management Director.

This year is also the 25th Anniversary of Hurricane Hugo, which if hit South Carolina today would cause an estimated $16.6 billion in damage and would destroy approximately 30,000 homes.

“I don’t worry so much about the seasonal hurricane forecast as much as I am concerned that we are ready for the one tropical system that will impact us at some point.  Horry County is in a hurricane risk area and we all need to be ready every year,” said Randy Webster, Director of Horry County Emergency Management.

“Charleston County Government is always preparing for a storm and working with other local and state agencies to do so, but everyone has an individual responsibility to get prepared and make sure their family has a plan,” said Jason Patno, Charleston County Emergency Management Director.

The 2014 S.C. Hurricane Guide has the most up-to-date, official information to help you plan for a major disaster, and will be available Sunday, June 1, 2014 in Walgreens statewide and in coastal newspapers. It will also be available online at: http://goo.gl/kjqgj1

For more information about Hurricane Awareness Week, visit: http://goo.gl/Tkz7MO