South Carolina Emergency Management Association
PRESIDENT
Sam Hodge
Georgetown County
(843) 545-3273
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Susanne Peeples
Hampton County
(803) 942-0010
TREASURER
Kristy Hughes
Florence County
(803) 665-7255
SECRETARY
Angela H Leopard
Laurens County
(864) 984-4731
PAST PRESIDENT
Doug Bryson
Spartanburg County
(864) 595-5366
Minutes for Meeting
January 8, 2015
Sam Hodge called the meeting to order at 10:10 a.m.
Sam Hodge conducted the invocation and welcomed our guest.
Angela Leopard presented the Minutes from the March meeting. Cindy Grace made a motion to accept the
minutes as written, William Winn seconded the motion and all were in favor.
Kristy Hughes presented the treasurer report from the March meeting. Jay Marett made a motion to accept the
treasury report as written, Susanne Peeples seconded the motion and all were in favor.
Sam introduced Mike Patterson, Emergency Disaster Services Director, The Salvation Army North & South
Carolina Division. Mike spoke briefly about the VOADD Organization and the new contact information that will
be sent out in the near future. Mike thanked everyone for the support and the encouragement in the voluntary
agencies in their role in your county area. At the next voluntary agency meeting more contact information will
be brought to the table for the state agencies, where they are located, and what they do in times of disaster.
Francis Tubolino introduced John Poole, DHEC Dam Safety Engineer Program. Over the years we are seeing a
lot of dam failure/incidents though out the state. With the dam safety permitting program we help with the
technical assistance when there is an incident with a dam. Who may need to be evacuated and what tools need to
be used to evacuate. Emergency Action Plans are part of that plan. There is always potential flooding due to dam
failures or incidents. This raised a discussion on how to get EAP’s and information from DHEC on the dam’s to
Emergency Manager’s during an emergency. Sam stated the action item to take would be to have Director Kim
Stenson to work with DHEC to work out the information and Francis Tubolino will push out to the counties.
Director’s Report
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EMPG will be funded the same as last year. DHS budget hasn’t been approved at this time, which is tied
to EMPG funding, so the money is being held at this time. We are waiting until February to become
resolved. We are optimistic that the LEMPG15 will sometime be submitted in July. There is a possibility
that there will be a 5th quarter for the current LEMPG and looking at some type of LEMPG14
Supplemental to help each county. The FY15 Scope of Work will be sent out to review the changes.
There will not be too many changes. The suggestion is to add a line item for database development.
Winter Storm Recovery is ongoing and will take a while to close out. By the end February all the county
obligations will be closed out.
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We queued all the counties who had contacted their Legislation to pick up the non- federal share of the
winter storm. There was not an overwhelming response. At this point we do not know of any Legislator
that will be introducing anything in the current session concerning them picking up the non-federal share.
I do not know if any of the counties have any information on their Legislator that will be bringing this
issue up.
Information on the debris management was the biggest piece of the last winter storm. The Recovery
Section will have a debris summit on May 5 at the Farmer’s Market. Emergency Management, Public
Works, and all other agencies that deal with the debris piece is encouraged to attend so these issues may
be discussed. This class Information will be sent out to the Director’s.
Damage Assessment Training will be conducted on February 3 at McCrady, Fort Jackson. They have a
mock village as a pilot to use as a damage assessment training.
The Statewide Disaster Housing Task Force, at a Regional table top discussed the work in the housing
area of disaster. They would like to have local participation. The local Emergency Manager may not be
the contact for housing, so they are working on getting the information on who the contact would be.
Pre-Disaster Mitigation is looking forward to getting federal monies and applications will go to FEMA at
the end of January and hopefully in April or May to receive the information on the HMEP funding. Get
with Katie Norris if you have any questions on the Pre-Disaster Mitigation.
There is progress on getting the Colleges and Universities integrated into the Emergency Management
process. The counties will be notified in the near future on this process.
We are working on getting more public information publicized such as the upcoming Severe Weather
Awareness week, March 2-6.
SCEMD is looking at publicizing what Emergency Management does from the state to the local level.
The state is available to help the counties if you have any media issues at an event.
Vigilant Guard has about a dozen actively counties involved in the interaction with the Nation Guard and
the final planning for their exercise. We are working out the VG Guard activities, along with the
Hurricane build up exercise. There will be a breakout session during the SCEMA Workshop that will
have the conference calls set up.
Conglomerate Sheltering meetings are being scheduled and should be finished up in January. It’s critical
to have representatives at all the levels to be on the same page of where the shelters will be, what shelters
are available, etc. Pre Hurricane coordination to work together on the shelters. Anderson County has
worked out an agreement with their schools and getting their personnel to help with the sheltering staff.
That is a huge untapped asset. He has got the support of the school district to have staff to assist if a
shelter will be in their particular school. Discussion was to have Taylor Jones speak to the County
Emergency Manager’s/SCEMA on this topic.
Everyone needs to look at their Multi-Year Training & Exercise plan. Look at the exercise and training
pieces on a three year basis.
The Fire Academy through the financial assistance runs several hazardous material courses. We are
looking at publicizing this more to the counties. We are wanting to get 100 percent capacity in these
classes.
EBOLA Update - DEHC response plan was sent out to the counties.
Steven Batson will be sending out to the counties and state agencies the annual survey. We would like for
you to tell us how we doing at SCEMD. Feedback is needed.
For the next six months there are three major priorities: 1-Vigilant Guard Exercise, 2-Governor’s
Hurricane Tabletop which is not scheduled yet, 3-HB Robinson Exercise in July on the FNF side.
Sam stated in regards to the By-Laws and the Nominating Committee: July a nominating committee was
presented, October nomination of officers were submitted, and January the nominations of Officers will be voted
upon. The change in Officer’s will take place in March at the Annual Workshop. The nominating committee
consisting of Chuck Haynes, Chair-Person, Randy Webster and Kim Stenson.
Chuck Haynes took nominations from the floor for President-Elect and Treasurer. No one was nominated from
the floor.
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Committee reports:
Legislative committee –The 58.1 revision, Danielle-SCEMD meet with the legislative committee said everything
in Section C was the concern. The first one is how it was written. First SCEMA meeting approved the purpose
changes basically section to apply any emergency management issue not just the regulation. See attached.
Suggestion making the section that might raise an issue in the legislation. It has to be a Proclamation by the
governor’s office. They didn’t have any big issues with it, but working through them to get it completed. Other
piece needs to stay under the governor’s due to the adjutant general will be appointed by the governor. In terms
of the housing keeping of the piece. This piece makes it more broad. How it was written was for 58.1 Regulation
and wouldn’t be effective until is become a regulation. These changes are being open to any emergency
management issues that come up. Timeline to send the draft submission to the Legislative Council is February13.
February 27 it will be published in the state registrar and comment period from February 27 until March 6. After
the comment period the actual proposed regulation will be submitted on March 27 and a 30 day comment period,
then a hearing if necessary. Hope is that hearing is unlikely and will not be needed. After the period of 120 day
count down until the legislative leaves – then pick back up again in 2016 when they are back into session.
Sometime in April 2016 we are hoping that this will become a regulation. Doug Bryson made a motion to
approve the regulation 58.1 as re-written, Jay Marett seconded the motion and all were in favor.
Kim Stenson briefed that the 58.101 Regulation SCEMD Standards are being reviewed by the State Legislation
Committee and should be in the position to get them to the Legislation at the same time as the 58.1. Kim will
send information to the counties to get the okay prior to sending to the Legislative Committee. Kim will formally
go back to the Adjutant General and the Governor to get their approval then pushing it through the system.
Doug mentioned that the Association of Counties is supporting our shelters and generator regulations that we are
working on, but we are still working on the details with the stake holders, etc. The process is to start working on
getting the numbers together on the information on the electrical portion of hooking up a generator to facilities.
SCEMD is working on the generator cost from the State. There are a lot of valuables on the cost of new school
buildings and including the cost of the installing generators. The Association of Counties is on aboard with
looking at what kind of money is needed to place generator cost into their budget on construction of new schools
in meeting the shelter criteria to be used.
Credentialing Committee: Louis Walter announced the CEM’s that received certificates; David PorterAbbeville Co EM, Lindsey Green Baum-USC, Tammie Dreher-Wells-SCEMD.
Scholarship Foundation Committee: Jay Marett/Nicholas Thorpe
Working on establishing a meeting in March with Susanne Peeples on the 501c3 and re- evaluating the
Scholarship Foundation. The foundation will be having an event at the SCEMA Workshop, mini-golf
tournament.
Media Technology: Derrec Becker
Gretchen Birt is updating the SCEMA online website with the most current information. If anyone has anything
for the website, let them know. It is soon to start focusing on the SCEMA Workshop and this information will
soon be placed on the website and in the media. As Weather Awareness week and other hazards approach, if
anyone needs help in the media area, contact Derrec or Joe.
Colleges/Universities: William Winn
The Colleges/Universities have been working with the SCEMD on where they fit in into the Emergency
management. One area that is being addressed is that Colleges/Universities want to work with the local
Emergency Management for assistance. One issue is what happens when the schools have to close for winter
weather. The Governor says to follow local government. When the schools have several locations in different
counties. The schools would like to work with the State to find a direction for the Governor to give the
Colleges/Universities to review a plan that will work. We are looking at a standardization to work with the
Emergency Management in our plans.
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K-12 Schools: Alan Walters
This committee is new and has been extremely active. The first activity was last spring to create the Safe School
Task Force. The schools will be participating in this task force. Major ones, adopted into their report to be
reported to the legislator, greater collaboration with local emergency management and the main one to establish a
school safety & security team within each school. A school Administrator of the school district, sheriff office,
local law enforcement, fire department, and EMS and the Emergency Manager Director or designee to establish a
district wide team. This team would affect students safety and reduce the loss of life/property environment for the
students. There are 83 school districts in SC and they have no association for the K-12 Emergency Managers.
The state department to education received a grant to discuss project to enhance school safety emergency
operation plans in SC. This grant will help create these resources and part of the project is the creation for the
SC center for school safety, an 18 month project.
Sam gave a brief overview of the SCEMA Workshop March 2-5. Registration and hotel arrangements need to be
made by January 29. After this date the rooms are opened up and the price will change. Angela will send out
nominations for awards. It’s important to nominate our others agencies for each of the awards. Vendors are still
need. If you can volunteer for a certain session or help with the workshop in any way, kindly let us know.
Kristy stated there will be training on Monday and Thursday, along with our sessions during the week.
Registration for training will be sent out this week. Vendors have been acquired for the main events, but need to
acquire more vendors. Speakers – Active Shooter from the Navy Yard, NOAA, Hazardous Materials Pipeline
Safety, Schools Safety, EBOLA update, Recovery section, Private/Public section, and many others. If you have
reviewed the SCEMA website and have any questions, please let us know.
Future Vision of SCEMA
Sam stated this is your Association, so reach out to anyone to let us know any of your concerns.
Doug gave an update on the IAEM Region 4 and thanked everyone that went to the San Antonia, IAEM National
Conference. There were over 1800 attendees from 20 countries. SC had several to be represented. We are
looking at the fall, September or October for the Region 4 Conference. We are looking at a central location for all
the regional states to attend, from Charlotte to Asheville to Chattanooga as a central location. The 2016 National
Conference will be in Savannah, GA. We would like to encourage every to join IAEM.
Doug stated the IAEM Annual Clayton-Christopher Award was an award that R. Christopher was named for. He
was the Civil Defense Coordinator from 1962-1974 for Clayton County, GA. He was killed in a plane crash in
1974. He was considered the modern day father of Emergency Management. He made improvements and laid
the foundation for Emergency Management. The IAEM came up with a local Emergency Manager Director
award. It is one of the national awards that any of the 10 Regions are eligible for. County, City, Tribal, or local
level Emergency Manager of the year in the entire the USA. SCEMA nominated Cotton Howell. There is a lot of
documentation that goes along with this award. Cotton and his wife attended the National IAEM at the awards
banquet to accept this award.
Chuck Haynes of the Nominating Committee announced the results of the Officer’s.
Mario Formisano as President-Elect and Brandon Ellis as Treasurer.
Sam made a motion to adjourn, all seconded the motion, meeting adjourned at 12:32 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Angela H Leopard
Angela H Leopard
Secretary SCEMA
Laurens County Emergency Management Agency
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