South Carolina Code of Regulations › Chapter 58 - OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR › Article 1 - DIVISION OF PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAMS › Section 58-101 - State Emergency Management Standards

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 6, June 28, 2024
A. General
1. There shall be established a South Carolina emergency management organization, which shall consist of a state element and forty-six county elements. The state element of this organization shall be comprised of all officials, departments, and employees of state government and may include persons or groups who, by agreement or operation of law, may be charged with duties incident to the protection of life and property within the State during an emergency. The forty-six county elements shall be organized and maintained pursuant to the requirements of Regulation 58-1.
2. There shall be a South Carolina Emergency Plan consisting of a South Carolina Emergency Operations Plan (SCEOP) and forty-six County Emergency Operations Plans. The SCEOP shall outline the emergency roles and responsibilities of the State Emergency Response Team (SERT) and county organizations. The SCEOP shall be developed and maintained pursuant to the requirements of this regulation and will be used for any incident that occurs. The forty-six County Emergency Operations Plans shall be developed and maintained pursuant to the requirements of Regulation 58-1.
a. State government shall be responsible for providing resources to support county government emergency operations and for coordinating support to county government from other sources, including the federal government, unaffected counties of the State, and adjacent states. This assistance may consist of, but not limited to, liaisons, representatives or Incident Management Teams (IMT) that will assist and/or coordinate support using National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS) principals in conjunction with county or local representatives.
b. State government shall assume direction and control of area or county government emergency operations when requested by proper county government authority; or when county government authority has broken down or is nonexistent; or when the nature and magnitude of an emergency is such that effective response and recovery action is beyond the capability of county government, or when, in the event of a war emergency or declared natural or man-made emergency, state direction is required for implementation of a state or national plan in accordance with the Emergency Powers Act (South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 25 - Chapter 1. Article 4; Section 25-1-420 thru 460).
c. Nothing in Item A(2)(b) above is intended to transfer, or otherwise remove from county government, the responsibility for the protection of life and property within their respective jurisdictions. The purpose of these items is to provide for an effective level of direction, control, or coordination in the event a major emergency impacts the State. County government shall continue to be responsible for the conduct of operations within their jurisdiction during all emergency situations; however, under conditions identified in Item A(2)(b), state government shall exercise an appropriate degree of direction, control, or coordination at the discretion of the Governor.
d. Unless otherwise provided for in this Regulation or Regulation Regulation 58-1, county government shall be responsible for initial response to, and the conduct of, operations relating to emergency conditions impacting their respective area of jurisdiction.
e. County government shall be responsible for ensuring that all appropriate local resources, including those of municipalities, are being utilized to support the conduct of emergency operations prior to requesting outside assistance from state government. This requirement is deferred when state or inter-jurisdictional plans or procedures provide for an automatic response by state government.
3. State government's chain of communications, coordination, direction, and control during an emergency shall consist of the following:
a. The Governor and the Governor's Office,
b. Emergency Support Functions (ESF), and
c. The Governor's Command Section (Policy Group/Executive Group) which may include the following:
i. The Office of the Adjutant General,
ii. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD),
iii. The Department of Transportation
iv. The Department of Public Safety,
v. The State Law Enforcement Division,
vi. The Department of Natural Resources,
vii. The Department of Social Services,
viii. The Department of Health and Environmental Control,
ix. The Office of Regulatory Staff,
x. The Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation,
xi. The Department of Administration, and
xii. Any other agency as needed.
4. County government's chain of communications, coordination, direction and control during an emergency shall be consistent with Regulation 58-1.
5. When required during an emergency, state direction, control, communication and coordination between state and county government shall be channeled through SCEMD and the County Emergency Management Agency, respectively.