| Officials Say Evacuation a Success |
| (Columbia) - By the time Hurricane Charley
clipped the South Carolina coast Saturday morning about 200,000
people had evacuated the Grand Strand. State officials say their emergency evacuation plans were a success. Public safety leaders say the mass exodus of nearly 200,000 residents and visitors on the coast was a collaboration between state and local agencies. Before Charley was close enough to do any damage, Gov. Sanford called for mandatory and voluntary evacuations along the coast. Keeping in contact with safety and weather officials helped Gov. Sanford make the call. Hundreds of state and local workers coordinated a lane reversal on Hwy. 501 and patrolled the areas after they were evacuated. Public Safety Dir. James Schweitzer says planning and practice between agencies made all the difference. Right now agencies are putting together a final report for the Governor. It will pinpoint what worked and what needs improvement. Damages are also being tallied to see if the state qualifies for Federal disaster relief funds. |