SC Emergency Management Division urges caution during weather event

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As Tropical Storm Irma continues to affect South Carolina, area residents should pay close attention to weather conditions throughout the state. The National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center predict that T.S. Irma could produce three to six inches of rain along with wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour. Flooding is possible in low-lying areas that are normally prone to flood.
A mandatory evacuation is still in effect for the following barrier islands: Edisto Beach in Colleton County; Daufuskie, Fripp, Harbor, Hunting and Hilton Head Islands in Beaufort County; and Knowles and Tullifiny in Jasper County.
SCEMD urges everyone to monitor NOAA Weather Radio and local media, to review emergency plans and to use caution as conditions warrant.
Be Aware of High Wind, Heavy Rain and Flooding:
· Limit travel and use extreme caution around down trees and power lines.
· Treat every down power line as if it were live.

· Do not walk through moving water. Three to six inches of moving water can make you fall. If you have to walk in water, walk where the water is not moving. Use a stick to check the firmness of the ground in front of you.
· Do not ever try to drive around or move barricades that are blocking a street.
· Heed warnings issued by local public safety officials. When you hear an official alert, take safety precautions immediately.
· Be aware that tropical storms can form tornadoes. Pay attention to NOAA Weather Radio alerts for your area and be prepared to seek shelter immediately if NWS issues a tornado warning for your area.
· Call 9-1-1 for life-threatening emergencies only. Residents may call the state hotline at 1-866-246-0133 for all other questions related to Tropical Storm Irma.
· Residents who need safe shelter from the storm may go to one of 24 emergency shelters that are open across the state. A complete list of shelters is available online: scemd.org/shelters-rss.
The South Carolina Emergency Operations Center remains fully activated at Operating Condition One. OPCON 1 is the highest state of emergency operations.
Residents in South Carolina who have questions about Hurricane Irma can now call the state’s toll-free hotline. Operators with the Public Information Phone System (PIPS) are available 24 hours a day for as long as is needed.
If you have questions about Hurricane Irma, such as about the state’s response or safety precautions you should take, call this hotline:
S.C. PUBLIC INFORMATION PHONE SYSTEM
1-866-246-0133
The state Emergency Operations Center is now fully activated at Operating Condition Three as state agencies prepare for any possible effects from Hurricane Irma. OPCON 3 ensures the appropriate specific hazard emergency plans are activated and ready should an emergency situation be imminent.
For more information, visit scemd.org or follow @SCEMD on Twitter and Facebook.