Emergency Preparedness

Links to web sites below provide basic information for preparing for and responding to disasters across the CSRA

  • Smart911 – Safety profile provides additional information to 9-1-1 operators so they can help you faster in an emergency
  • Code Red – Notifications will be sent out when a major disaster is imminent or has just occurred in your local area. They are sent at the request of county emergency managers and alert you to various emergency situations requiring you to take personal protective actions. Alerts arrive via your cell phone.
  • Skywarn – SKYWARN® is a volunteer program of trained severe weather spotters. These volunteers help keep their local communities safe by providing timely and accurate reports of severe weather to the National Weather Service. Although SKYWARN® spotters provide essential information for all types of weather hazards, the focus is reporting on severe local thunderstorms. Primary SKYWARN repeater in the CSRA is 145.490/ 144.890 (RX/TX) tone 71.9
  • Power Outage -Power outage status by SC counties and serve provider
  • Winlink – A network of amateur radio and authorized government stations that provide worldwide radio email using radio pathways where the internet is not present. The system is built, operated and administered entirely by licensed “Ham” volunteers. It supports email with attachments, position reporting, weather and information bulletins, and is well-known for its role in interoperable emergency and disaster relief communications. A local Aiken RF gateway is available at Aiken Regional Medical Centers. Contact Carl Juvrud, KP2L (Aiken County Emergency Coordinator (EC)) for more information on the gateway
  • SCHEART – The SCHEART system is comprised of networks of linked amateur radio repeaters strategically located throughout South Carolina.  These repeaters provide an auxiliary communication path for amateur radio operators to support hospitals, county emergency management officials and state agencies during emergencies. The SCHEART system conducts a training net every Thursday at 9:00am and is open to all amateurs within South Carolina. The early history of the SCHEART network can be found here.
  • Amateur Radio Emergency Service – The Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES) consists of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment, with their local ARES leadership, for communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes.
  • SC Emergency Management Division – SCEMD’s mission is to develop, coordinate, and lead the state emergency management program, enabling effective preparation for, response to and recovery from emergencies and disasters in order to save lives, reduce human suffering and minimize property loss.
    • SC State Emergency Operations Center – The South Carolina Emergency Operations Center is the central point at which all state agencies coordinate the response to any major disaster in the Palmetto State.
    • SC AUXCOMM – South Carolina AUXCOMM represents the interests of affiliated volunteer auxiliary communications organizations throughout South Carolina and facilitates
  • GA GEORGIA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT and HOMELAND SECURITY AGENCY – The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency coordinates the state’s preparedness, response and recovery efforts to disasters.