Hurricane Florence Update 09-16-2018

Sunday, September 16th, 2018 - updated at 12 p.m.

This page will be updated regularly as information becomes available.

DHEC is closely monitoring developments with Hurricane Florence. We are working with Governor McMaster and the South Carolina Emergency Management Division in accordance with the South Carolina Emergency Operations Plan and the South Carolina Hurricane Plan.

Stay tuned to your local weather forecast and get the latest information about our preparation and response efforts by following us on Twitter and Facebook.

In response to Hurricane Florence, DHEC staff continues to actively assess and respond to ongoing public health and environmental needs across the state. For important information on the steps you can take, please visit our hurricane preparedness page.

Latest Updates:

As part of our preparedness efforts, DHEC has taken the following actions (updated at 12 p.m. on 09/16/2018):

More than 700 DHEC staff have been dispatched as part of our emergency response efforts.
Our call centers have fielded more than 4,800 calls assisting the public with questions related to special medical needs, health department services and other general concerns.

Health Care Facilities:

On September 16, 2018, the Governor lifted the Mandatory Medical Evacuation (MME) order for health care facilities regulated by DHEC.

The following 3 hospitals reported to DHEC that they have re-opened:

Palmetto Lowcountry Behavioral Hospital
Vibra Hospital of Charleston
Williamsburg Hospital

The following 3 hospitals have resumed some services:

Grand Strand Medical Center (emergency department and trauma services)
Tidelands Georgetown Memorial (emergency department services)
Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital (emergency department services)

The Department continues to communicate with health care facilities that evacuated ahead of the storm to assess and monitor their status, identify any needs or issues they may have, and provide re-entry assistance as needed.

Special Medical Needs Shelters:

DHEC has 11 special medical needs shelters open to provide shelter for people whose medical conditions exceed the capabilities of the general population shelters but are not severe enough to require a hospital stay. These are individuals who live at home and have a health condition that requires specialized, electric-powered equipment or need medication that requires refrigeration. Individuals in these shelters must bring an adult caregiver with them to care for them. We do not provide health care services in these shelters. *NOTE: if you think you may need this type of shelter, please call our CARELINE at 1-855-4SC-DHEC (1-855-472-3432).

Dams:

DHEC assessed 262 dams prior to the storm. The Department utilized the CodeRED system multiple times to notify more than 2,000 dam owners via voice call, text message and email. Dam owners were urged to evaluate their water levels and coordinate lowering levels with other owners downstream to avoid flooding.

On Saturday, DHEC and the US Army Corps of Engineers assessed dams along the Gills Creek Watershed; no issues were identified at that time.

As of 9 a.m. Saturday, the total number of Regulated Dams under Surveillance was 27. DHEC is partnering with the State Guard’s Engineering Unit to monitor these structures as conditions allow.

DHEC Office Closures:

DHEC follows the closings and delays of county offices. For example, if Beaufort County offices are closed, our health clinics and offices in the county will be closed as well. The latest information on delays and closures can be found at http://scemd.org or on local media. We will update this information here as it becomes available.

Previous Updates:

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