A Katrina-like hurricane could overwhelm the state's ability to provide shelter and care for the infirm and disabled, the S.C. Emergency Management Division has told the federal government.

The state also lacks the staffing to take on sustained relief efforts if such a catastrophic storm slammed into the coast, the agency said.

The blunt self-assessment, delivered to the Department of Homeland Security in survey responses last week, came as the federal agency sought disaster-response plans from cities and states to determine how $2.5 billion in grant money will be spent.

Ronald Osborne, who heads the agency that compiled the report, emphasized that the state has detailed hurricane-response plans and will be able to respond if a disaster strikes.

"I don't want people to think something will happen and that help won't come," he said. "That help will come. How efficient and how quick is another question. We're going to have to rely on outside help."

Other areas marked for improvement include:

Establishing evacuation routes in the event of a "dirty bomb" terrorist attack.

Purchasing or arranging to buy large quantities of relief supplies that can be delivered to hard-hit areas quickly.

Planning for the removal of animal carcasses and possible associated public health threats.

Hiring regional coordinators to assess local demands and help identify special-needs residents, giving them an opportunity to register with the county or state so they won't be overlooked.

Osborne said his agency already has asked the General Assembly for additional funding to address some concerns.

Gov. Mark Sanford has included funding for regional coordinators in his executive budget. Osborne said he has e-mailed members of the General Assembly, detailing his agency's need for the coordinators.

South Carolina met last week's deadline to certify for Homeland Security that it has a disaster-response plan. By March 2, the state must submit a plan for how it would spend terrorism and disaster response funding.

Homeland Security will decide by May 31 what, if any, aspects of that plan it will pay for. If South Carolina gets funding, it would go to the state and local governments over two years.

South Carolina has received about $95 million in anti-terrorism funding, said SLED Chief Robert Stewart, whose agency has served as the federal Homeland Security contact.

The federal government is changing how it doles out anti-terrorism funding, Stewart said.

"In the past, it's been a formula based on population," he said. "Now, everything is much more risk-based."

That could mean less money for South Carolina, Stewart said, should other, larger areas be deemed to be more at risk.