SLED is the state's new lead terrorism response agency and will take on other responsibilities that had been in the Office of Homeland Security, Gov. Mark Sanford said Tuesday.

The State Law Enforcement Division will establish a statewide counterterrorism council to coordinate the roles of police, firefighters and paramedics, Chief Robert Stewart said.

SLED also will help devise a plan for spending millions of dollars in federal grants that will help train local emergency responders, Stewart said.

Sanford abolished former Gov. Jim Hodges' Office of Homeland Security when he assigned the new tasks to SLED last Thursday, the day after Sanford was sworn in, said Chris Drummond, Sanford's chief spokesman.

SLED most likely won't get much money for new hires, Stewart said, although he's looking for crisis management experts.

Sanford's Jan. 16 executive order consolidates counterterrorism response in one agency, which Drummond said will save money.

"Chief Stewart has the resources, the equipment, the infrastructure and the connections with local governments," Drummond said.

The directive does not affect the roles of the Emergency Management Division and other agencies that deal with the aftermath of an attack, Stewart said.

In effect, SLED is returning to the responsibilities it had before 9/11, Stewart said.

When Hodges created the Homeland Security office, staffed voluntarily by retired Army Gen. Steve Siegfried and one other volunteer, the lead response role was removed from SLED.

Stewart said he does not expect to get much more in the way of state funds from the cash-strapped budget.

"The safety and security of the citizens is every government's first priority," Stewart said. "We take this responsibility very seriously."