Hurricane Fabian is not expected to strike South Carolina, but state emergency planners and national weather service officials were planning for the possibility.

"We've been in contact with the governor's office through the weekend," said Joe Farmer, spokesman for the S.C. Emergency Management Division. "We'll continue to monitor the hurricane in case, against all indications, the weather shifts and moves (Fabian) toward us."

The state follows a specific procedure for responding to hurricanes, said Steve Naglic, a Columbia-based warning coordinator meteorologist for the National Weather Service.

When a storm threatens, Naglic and emergency officials contact coastal counties. Then they speak with the governor's office. "Unlike in many other states, here, it's up to the governor to make a call about evacuation," Naglic said.

The last time the governor had to make that decision was in September 1999, when Hurricane Floyd hit the coast, said Jon Boettcher, hurricane program manager for the S.C. Emergency Management Division.

A 45-person division, which operates out of an office in West Columbia, has planned for the worst hurricane scenarios, Boettcher said.

"We don't just have a Plan A and Plan B," he said. "We have a graduated methodology for dealing with storms which we escalate as it gets worse."

While computer models have indicated Hurricane Fabian will move north, experts said South Carolinians should think about similar threats throughout the hurricane season, which runs until Nov. 30.

"For a small state, a hurricane doesn't just affect the coastal areas," Farmer said. "And in case of evacuation, the traffic difficulties will affect the entire state, since most people go to stay with family and friends inland."

For tips on dealing with a hurricane, check the Web site http://www.scemd.org/.