COLUMBIA--South Carolina has received about $43 million in federal money to respond to terrorist attacks, State Law Enforcement Division Chief Robert Stewart says.

The grants from the U.S. Homeland Security Department will go toward equipment and training for the workers who would respond first to a terror attack or a natural disaster in South Carolina, Stewart said.

Charleston County will receive about $774,030, Berkeley County will get $328,828, and $114,883 will go to Dorchester County, Stewart said.

Five-member committees from each county will come up with recommendations on how to spend their money, and SLED will review those lists to make sure they comply with federal homeland security regulations, Stewart said. Serving on each panel will be the county sheriff, a police chief, a fire chief, the director of emergency medical services and an emergency management official, he said.

Charleston County sheriff's Capt. Dana Valentine said the money is welcome, though officials don't know yet how the funds will be divided among the county's various agencies.

"We've had increased responsibilities ever since 9-11 and it's really been taxing us, so anything we get will be appreciated," Valentine said.

As a major population center, $290,428 of Charleston County's money will pay to further out-fit its special response team that deals with chemical, biological and radiological threats, Stewart said.

In Berkeley County, $182,828 of its money will go for the same use.

About $225,000 of Charleston County's money will go to urban search-and-rescue equipment to outfit workers to rescue people from collapsed buildings, Stewart said.

Additional money will be available to upgrade emergency management centers, provide decontamination units for counties and buy protective suits for law enforcement officers and other emergency workers, he said.

"Every town and every county can't have everything they need," Stewart said. "That would be impossible. The costs would be astronomical. But every county and every town has to have quick access to everything they need."

The idea is to put the money where it's most needed and equip regions in such a way that various counties and agencies can help one another in the event of a terrorist attack, Stewart said.

In a separate, previously announced grant, the port in Charleston will receive $5 million for a permanent radiation detection system and an additional $5 million for other security improvements.

As chief of SLED, Stewart became the leader of state homeland security when, shortly after taking office in January, Gov. Mark Sanford put state agents in charge of protecting South Carolina.

Sanford praised Stewart for passing out money based on need instead of politics. He also said it was important to give local agencies a stake in deciding how the money was spent.

"The threat of terrorism may come when we least expect it," the governor said.

Stewart said the grants are just the beginning. State officials will have to revise by the end of the year their plans on how to respond to terrorist attacks. They also hope to find more federal money to try to prevent attacks in the first place.

"We've come a long way in South Carolina," Stewart said, "but we still have a long way to go."