South Carolina Returns to Normal Operations

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January 30, 2014

Columbia, S.C. (Thursday, January 30) – The State of South Carolina starts to return to normal as the S.C. Emergency Management Division and the agencies of the State Emergency Response Team scale back operations relating to the severe winter storm that began Tuesday, January 28. Governor Nikki Haley lifted the State of Emergency Executive Order at noon today, recognizing that the South Carolina Emergency Operations Center and county emergency management offices are now at Operation Condition 5, or normal, daily operations.  State and County government offices either delayed opening or resumed normal schedules Thursday. SCEMD is urging everyone to be cautious of frozen precipitation still on the ground in many places, particularly on secondary roads and low-lying or shade covered areas. 
 
Currently:
  • The South Carolina Department of Transportation has had more than 2,000 maintenance employees involved in road clearing operations, spreading 13,577 tons of salt, 4,318 tons of sand, 104,765 gallons of calcium chloride, and 754,412 gallons of salt brine on state roads.
  • The S.C. Department of Public Safety reports the Highway Patrol, State Law Enforcement Division and the Department of Natural Resources have returned to normal operations.   As of noon Thursday, SCHP answered 3,536 calls for service including 1,799 collisions, 368 abandoned vehicles, and 853 motorists assisted.
  • The S.C. National Guard has resumed normal operational readiness.  
  • The S.C. Office of Regulatory Staff reports all power utilities are resuming normal operations.
  • The National Weather Service currently predicts temperature highs near 70 degrees for the weekend, with a 30% chance of rain.