Columbia, S.C. – The South Carolina Emergency Emergency Response Team continues to track Hurricane Florence and remains fully dedicated to preparing for the storm's potential impact on South Carolina. Forecasters say that Florence is currently a Category 3 hurricane and has the capacity to bring record amounts of rain to South Carolina. The State Emergency Operations Center is fully operational, staffed by emergency personnel from various state agencies and emergency organizations. The SEOC will be operational 24 hours a day until further notice.

As of 4 PM Wednesday, the Response Team has:

• The South Carolina National Guard has more than 2,100 soldiers and airmen on duty and 50 members of the State Guard
• DOT and DPS have reversed 100 miles of I-26 and 20 miles of US 501
• DOT has more than 3000 team members assigned to the event.
• Today, there are 450 State Law Enforcement Division officers on duty
• The Department of Public Safety has 666 oficers on duty
• Ordered 125 buses to be staged in Orangeburg to deploy if needed
• There are currently were 35 emergency shelters open throughout the state with over 1,800 occupants (find current openings here)
• The Air Operations Branch has seven aircraft staged to provide aerial reconnaissance over designated evacuation routes
• FEMA Incident Management Assistance Team is on site
• Provided items such as sandbags and generators to counties as requested
• Beginning at 11 a.m. state law enforcement officers began enforcing lane reversals from the coast
• Clemson Livestock Poultry Health has activated Memorandums of Agreement with the ASPCA and National Animal Rescue and Sheltering Coalition to deploy emergency pet shelter staff, animal search and rescue and animal related damage assessment teams as needed
• At 9 a.m. SC Department of Natural Resources began river sweeps.   
• Activated “Emergency Mode” on scemd.org and SC Emergency Manager mobile app.
• The Public Information Phone System has been activated. Citizens can call 1-866-246-0133 for emergency information.  

The path of Hurricane Florence is uncertain, according to NHC forecasters. Residents should continue to monitor local media and official, verified social media accounts from public safety agencies for the latest information on the South Carolina Emergency Management Division’s website at www.scemd.org.