South Carolina Statehouse Blog

Statement from the Governor’s Office on the State’s Role in Haiti Relief Efforts

Based on conversations with the Department of Defense and the state Emergency Management Division (EMD), this office wanted to relay the following information.

The federal government has designated South Carolina as a likely staging area for victims of the earthquake and consequent humanitarian disaster in Haiti. Specifically, our state will fill two roles.

One, the federal government has chosen Charleston as a “repatriation site” for American citizens who were living in Haiti during the earthquake. For the next couple of weeks, we expect the Charleston airport will serve as a hub for transporting potentially thousands of Americans to their final destination in the United States - likely to their former hometowns or to relatives across the country. Charleston County and our state EMD - supported by federal funding and working in conjunction with law enforcement, the state Department of Social Services and the state Department of Health and Environmental Control - will assist in providing triage, food and shelter, and help with travel plans for these American repatriots as they enter South Carolina and continue on their way home.

Two, the federal government has activated the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) to deal with Haitian patients needing advanced medical care in the United States. This means there is a chance that some NDMS hospitals in South Carolina, like hospitals in Florida and around the Southeast, may accept a limited number of patients over the coming weeks. If this happens, the federal government would provide financial support for these medical evacuees, along with support for their day-to-day living expenses.

On both these fronts - the repatriation of American citizens living in Haiti and the possibility of Haitian medical evacuees - the issues of security and legality will be paramount, with SLED and local law enforcement involved in all steps in the process.

South Carolinians are helping aid the situation in other ways as two South Carolina Air National Guardsmen are stationed in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with an air traffic control unit.

Finally, it is worth emphasizing the indeed profound impact that citizens can have in helping those in need in Haiti. Whether it’s through the Red Cross, Water Missions International in the Lowcountry, or a variety of other avenues, each of us can make a real difference in the lives of those still suffering in Haiti, and we’d encourage you to do so.