June 1 marks the beginning of hurricane season in South Carolina. To note Hurricane Awareness Week, Gov. Nikki Haley held a press conference at which she and various agency heads discussed the expectations for this season. Though the season is predicted to be average, Haley stressed that every family should have a hurricane plan.
Transportation Secretary Christy Hall noted that the coast has been divided into zones for evacuation and urged coastal residents to know their zones. Patience in the event of an evacuation also was stressed, as the governor said that the state has a million more residents than it did a decade ago. The extra population will not only make highway traffic heavier, but will demand more resources, more shelters and more ambulances in the event of a hurricane.
Gov. Haley made it clear that all evacuation orders in the future will not be voluntary, but mandatory. The South Carolina Hurricane Guide is available at http://scemd.org.
