Back-to-back tropical storms hammering South Carolina by this weekend did not fluster employees with the American Red Cross or officials with the S.C. National Guard on Thursday.

The organizations were ready for tropical depression Bonnie and Hurricane Charley, and any future storms, despite a flood of local deployments and key Red Cross positions left open in Horry and Georgetown counties.

At least 3,800 National Guard members are in South Carolina and can be called to help after a hurricane, said Lt. Col. Pete Brooks, spokesman for the S.C. National Guard. Equipment also can be brought from other areas, he said.

"If we are getting a hurricane, then we bring units from other parts of the state," Brooks said.

Briefings took place Thursday, as Bonnie made landfall in Florida. The storm sent rain and wind to Horry and Georgetown counties, and scattered funnel clouds were reported across Horry County, but no damage was reported.

Rain and gusty wind generated by Hurricane Charley is expected by Saturday.

County emergency officials worked with the Red Cross and the National Guard to prepare for possible flooding or tornadoes spun from Bonnie and Charley.

The Horry and Georgetown Red Cross chapters are both operating under interim leadership, but the chapters in Brunswick County, N.C., and Horry and Georgetown counties had emergency plans nailed down by Thursday afternoon.

Horry County Director Jeanne Carmichael was promoted to a state-level position with the Red Cross. Judith Bayer-Griffith, who had been with the Georgetown Red Cross since Hurricane Hugo, remained on paid leave until last month.

Neither position has been filled.

"We're going over the details in our mind, just to know that we're ready," said John Kiesling, interim director in Georgetown. "We're standing by; we're ready to go."

No shelters were opened in Horry, Georgetown or Brunswick counties Thursday. Horry County was operating at a Level 4 Operating Condition in preparation of the storms.

That means county officials have continual discussions with S.C. Emergency Management and other coastal communities, and continue to monitor the situation closely, said county spokeswoman Lisa Bourcier.

Horry County is not expected to activate the Emergency Operations Center because of the storms, she said.

N.C. | Classes in shelter management are being held at the American Red Cross in Wilmington, N.C., from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Call (910) 762-2683

S.C. | Classes in shelter management are being held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Murrells Inlet Community Center on Murrells Inlet Road. Call 546-5422.

For information on classes in Horry County, call 477-0020.