COLUMBIA, S.C. - Governor Henry McMaster has declared a State of Emergency in preparation for the potential effects of Hurricane Helene, and asks South Carolinians to monitor local forecasts and begin taking proper precautions.

The governor's order activates the South Carolina Emergency Operations Plan, which directs the South Carolina Emergency Management Division to coordinate with state agencies. This will prepare them for any state assistance requests from local officials and county emergency management leaders. 

"Although South Carolina will likely avoid the brunt of Hurricane Helene's impacts, the storm is still expected to bring dangerous flooding, high winds, and isolated tornadoes to many parts of the state," said Governor Henry McMaster. "This State of Emergency ensures that Team South Carolina has the necessary resources in place to respond to these potential impacts. South Carolinians in potentially affected areas should start to take precautions now and monitor local weather forecasts over the next several days."  

SCEMD has several resources available for people to prepare for hurricanes, including hurricane.sc.