The South Carolina Emergency Management Division marked the 20th anniversary of its Regional Emergency Manager Program in October. An October 14 announcement described how the program connects the state agency, county emergency managers and the State Emergency Response Team.
Established in 2006, the program supports planning, training, exercises, preparedness, disaster response and recovery. Regional managers work with local partners before emergencies as well as during incidents, providing a continuing connection between communities and state emergency-management operations.
SCEMD said those managers have assisted communities through hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, winter weather, wildfires and other emergencies over the past two decades. The announcement focuses on the program’s ongoing work and relationships rather than describing a newly created office or a new emergency declaration.
Agency leaders emphasized local knowledge and coordination in explaining the anniversary. Regional managers can be among the first SCEMD representatives working with county partners during an incident and stay involved as it develops, according to the division. The release did not announce a change to the program’s structure or services.
