News and Announcements

To support residents that need to evacuate, the American Red Cross has opened six evacuation shelters in preparation for potential flooding and necessary evacuations. These are the current open shelters:

Loris Elementary School 

Horry Georgetown Tech - Grand Strand Campus

City of Conway Parks and Recreation

Whitmore Park Middle School

Ocean Drive Elementary School

North Myrtle Beach High School

When going to a shelter, citizens will need to take their own supplies such as batteries, bedding, identification, toiletries, clothing, etc. Shelters do not accept guns, alcohol or animals.

People who need to evacuate, but are worried about their animals can contact the Horry County Animal Care Center (HCACC) at 843-915-5930. The HCACC is assisting animals that need to be cared for during the evacuations. Please do not leave your animals at home if you evacuate.

The Horry County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is activated at this time and the Phone Bank is operational (843-915-5150) to assist residents and visitors with questions.

Date: September 11, 2018

Time: 12 p.m.

Conway, South Carolina – Citizens are reminded that public safety operations in the field will cease once the sustained winds have reached 60-mph. These conditions make it too dangerous for law enforcement, fire, and EMS personnel to conduct operations in the field. However, citizens and visitors are reminded that they should not attempt to go to a fire or police station, rather they should call 911 and the operators will provide verbal assistance. Once conditions improve, public safety crews will once again respond to emergency calls.

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Horry County Emergency Management Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/horrycountyemergencymanagementdepartment

Horry County Emergency Management Twitter:

https://twitter.com/HorryEMD

Horry County Council has declared a localized state of emergency to adopt emergency ordinances to meet public emergencies affecting life, health, safety or the property of the people in our area. The declaration will remain in effect for sixty (60) days unless sooner terminated by resolution by County Council.

Horry County moved to OPCON 3 (Level 3 Operating Condition) in preparation of Hurricane Florence as of 12 p.m. Sunday, September 9, 2018. OPCON 3 means the storm poses a significant threat to Horry County. County officials are in continual discussions with South Carolina Emergency Management, coastal communities including local municipalities, the Governor’s office and will continue to monitor the situation closely. The Horry County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is activated at this time. The Horry County EOC phone bank is line is 843-915-5150.

Should mandatory evacuation order be issued, it is important that residents are familiar with the evacuation zones as follows:

• Zone A: All areas east of U.S. Business 17 (Kings Hwy), up to the intersection with U.S. 17 (Kings Hwy) and then all areas east of US 17 (Kings Hwy) to the northern county line.
• Zone B: All areas south of Hwy 707 and Longwood Drive, including all areas in Longwood Plantation (Blackmoor) to the Waccamaw River and all areas east of U.S. 17 Bypass (Mark Garner Hwy) to U.S. 17 (North Kings Hwy) and all areas east of U.S. 17 (North Kings Hwy) to the northern county line.                                           
• Zone C: All areas between Hwy 701 and Hwy 544, south of Brown's Chapel Avenue and Hwy 814, plus all areas east of Highway 31 (Carolina Bays Parkway) to Highway 90 and all areas east of Highway 90 to U.S. 17 to the northern county line. 
• Mobile homes, campers and those in flood-prone areas are asked to evacuate for all storms.
• Horry County evacuates for storm surge and not for wind.

Prior to any evacuation orders, it is important that residents are familiar with the evacuation route that they will take:

• North Myrtle Beach and northward: Evacuees from north of Briarcliffe Acres will take SC 9 north to I-95 and beyond.
• Briarcliffe Acres south to Myrtle Beach 10th Avenue North: Evacuees in Briarcliffe Acres south to 10th Avenue North will take SC 22 (Conway Bypass) to US 501 to Marion.  In Marion, they may then take US 76 to Florence to access I-95 southbound or they may stay on US 501 to SC 38 to access I-95 northbound.
• Myrtle Beach, from 10th Avenue North south to the Myrtle Beach International Airport: Evacuees from the Myrtle Beach area south of 10th Avenue North and north of the Myrtle Beach International Airport will take US 501 to Conway.  They may then take US 378 to Columbia or continue on US 501 to Marion.  In Marion they may then take US 76 to Florence to access I-95 southbound or they may stay on US 501 to SC 38 to access I-95 northbound.
• Myrtle Beach International Airport southward through Surfside Beach: Evacuees from the Myrtle Beach International Airport south through Surfside Beach will take SC 544 to US 501 to Conway.  They may then take US 378 to Columbia or continue on US 501 to Marion.  In Marion they may then take US 76 to Florence to access I-95 southbound or they may stay on US 501 to SC 38 to access I-95 northbound.
• Garden City Beach south to Winyah Bay: Evacuees from Garden City Beach south to Winyah Bay will take US 17 south through Georgetown.  They will then take US 521 to SC 261 to US 378 to Columbia.  Alternatively, they may take US 17 south to US 701 in Georgetown to SC 51 to US 378 at Kingsburg.

Residents that reside in Evacuation Zone C should utilize the closest available evacuation route to safely evacuate the area.

When evacuating, it is important to take a road map. Motorists should be aware that law enforcement and the South Carolina National Guard may be posted along evacuation routes to provide assistance. Evacuation routes and maps are available on Horry County’s office website at http://www.horrycounty.org/Departments/EmergencyManagement.aspx.

Whether required to evacuate or not, at this time citizens should:

• Have all necessary medications (prescription and over the counter).
• Have a supply of nonperishable food and water for each family member including pets.
• Survey property to mitigate the potential of flooding such as making sure storm drains and gutters are clear of debris. 
• Have family hurricane plans in place; including items that may be needed like water, batteries, flashlights, etc. 
• Anticipate potential power outages that could extend for several days.

Additional hurricane information can be found on Horry County’s website at http://www.horrycounty.org/Departments/EmergencyManagement/Hurricanes. This link contains information on how to prepare for an emergency, evacuation routes and maps, re-entry information, shelters, etc.

Horry County Emergency Management Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/horrycountyemergencymanagementdepartment 

Horry County Emergency Management Twitter: https://twitter.com/HorryEMD

Horry County Operating Condition (OPCON) Levels

OPCON 5: Normal day to day operations

OPCON 4: Storm poses a possible threat: The possibility of an emergency or disaster situation that may require activation of the Emergency Operation Center (EOC).

OPCON 3: Storm poses a significant threat: A disaster or emergency situation is likely. Most likely the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) has been or will be activated (either partially or fully based on the severity of the event).

OPCON 2: Evacuation order imminent: A disaster or emergency situation is imminent or in effect.

OPCON 1: Evacuation order issued: A major disaster or emergency is in effect. This is the highest state of emergency situation and the Emergency Operations Center is fully activated.  This also applies to post-disaster operations.

Conway, SC—Horry County Fire Rescue (HCFR) officials announce that the deployment model being tested in three fire/rescue districts has increased the paramedic coverage by an average of 83% across the three districts in the initial 19 days of the model.

The new deployment model is currently being tested in three stations: Station 18 (Stephens Crossroads), Station 7 (Lake Arrowhead), and Station 20 (Scipio).  In the first 19 days of the deployment model, those stations ran a combined 344 Emergency Medical calls for service.  Of those calls, 300 of the patients (87%), required basic life support (BLS) interventions, and 44 patients (13%) required advanced life support (ALS) interventions. Here are the immediate benefits:

1. This model has increased the availability of paramedics working in those three districts to respond to life threatening emergencies.

2. Paramedic availability and coverage in these three districts increased by an average of 83%. 

3. This model has decreased the amount of overtime required of our paramedics to work each day. 

The new deployment model assigns the paramedic at these stations to the fire apparatus, and the transport unit (ambulance) functions as a BLS unit. This Deployment Model Test has been approved by the HCFR Operational Medical Director, Dr. Thomas J. Martel, and is in full compliance with State EMS Regulation and Law. Each of these stations still has a full time paramedic responding to all ALS calls, just as they did under the previous model. The shift in apparatus assignment allows the ambulance to respond to, and make patient transports, in non-life threatening emergencies.  This allows the paramedic to remain available to respond to life-threatening emergencies.  

In these stations, both the fire apparatus and the ambulance respond to medical emergencies and fire emergencies.  For calls that require BLS interventions, only the ambulance responds, leaving the fire apparatus, with the paramedic, available to respond to life threatening emergencies.  

Horry County Fire Rescue Chief Tanner says, “We are always looking for ways to improve service delivery to our citizens.  The department is encouraged by these initial results, and will continue to work hard for the citizens of Horry County to provide efficient services and excellent patient care.  As a result of these improvements, we have seen a significant boost to employee morale in these areas and we will continue to make adjustments that ensure our members are safe each and every shift.”