stormwatch

Mount Pleasant update

The Town of Mount Pleasant closed its government offices at 3:45 p.m.

Its Emergency Operations Center will remain open on a limited capacity until the weather system has passed our area.

The Mount Pleasant Police Department will continue to monitor the elevated bridges for high winds every 10 to 15 minutes.

Garbage collection will resume on Friday for all Thursday routes.

Coming up: Bridges closing?

We're getting ready for a press conference in about five minutes or less and the word is it's going to be about closing bridges.

Could be an announcement, don't know yet. So stand by, and we'll be back with a live post soon.

UPDATE: This just in from Bo Petersen:

Sc Hwy Patrol is considering closing at least the Don Holt and Wando bridges on I-526. Announcement expected shortly

"I just went over the Don Holt myself and I didn't like it. It isn't so much the wind, it's the wind-driven rain. There's novisibility" Cpl. Paul Brouthers, SC Highway Patrol

Also coming up: The 2 p.m. NHC update will spot the location of the eye.

Shelter numbers, etc.

This just in from reporter Bo Petersen, who is stationed at the Charleston County EOC... As of 12:30 p.m., the emergency shelters in Charleston County were serving a population 52 people: 29 at North Charleston High School, 15 at Stall High School; eight at the special needs shelter at Alice Birney Middle School.

Also, EOC officials are asking the public to report flooding when they see it. Here are the numbers: 724 -3745 or 724-7311.

UPDATE: Speaking of flooding, here's a report from blogger Jared Smith in comments at 13:25:

Ashley Ave. has just been shut down at Bennett St. by police

Makes sense. Ashley Avenue floods if there's excessive morning dew...

EOC press conference

The EOC press conference starts earlier than expected...

Leon Stavrinakis: Urges caution. "Some tracks still bring it ashore in Charleston County"

Cathy Haynes: Use common sense, pay attention to your surroundings.

Stavrinakis: We recommend to people... the safest place to be is indoors in a safe facility.

Haynes: We'll stay at OPCON 1 as long as we've got shelters and until the storm is past.

Stavrinakis: OPCON numbers aren't there to scare the public, they represent levels of staffing and types of activity...

Should people go to work? Stavrinakis: "Our advice to people is... when the weather turns foul, people should be indoors."

Haynes: No report from state EOC conference call about National Guard being shifted anywhere yet... hard to determine when we'll start feeling the direct effects of the storm here...

So, as expected: Nothing new, don't get complacent, stay alert, be cautious, go inside when things get bad. "They're kinda of leaving people to plan their own days, and reminding them not to be stupid," said P&C reporter Robert Behre, who called after the event.

Haynes mentioned shelters, but nobody gave details on shelter use. Robert says the shelter population at 7 a.m. was 25 people: 17 at North Charleston High School, two at Stall High School and six at Alice Birney Middle School, the special medical needs shelter.  "(The shelters) were opened out of an abundance of caution, and I think most people know that," Robert said.

Coming up: Updates, announcements

The 5 a.m. NHC update was the big news this morning, and local officials are discussing it on the 7:30 a.m. Emergency Operations Center conference call at this hour.

We're still about 15 minutes away from the 8 a.m. NHC update on Ernesto. That's typically a positional and data update -- no new forecasting will get done until the 11 a.m. advisory.

After that, we'll be looking ahead toward a 9 a.m. EOC press conference, and once again Robert Behre is our reporter there. The county has been at its OPCON 1 since last night, but Robert doesn't anticipate big headlines out of this morning's event. Most of the important decisions were made yesterday, so the most likely scenario is that local officials will talk about the forecast, remind people of what to do and expect, then take a few questions.

Questions? Leave us a comment here on the site and we'll try to answer them.

Colleton closings

Cross-posted from Andy Paras' Colleton Now news blog (originally posted at 7:14 p.m.):

All non-emergency county offices will be closed Thursday on account of Tropical Depression Ernesto.

County administration made the decision a few minutes ago after taking in consideration the threat of heavy winds and rain.

All schools are closed as well Thursday. Colleton County High School has been turned into a shelter since county officials issued a voluntary evacuation at noon today. All  residents who reside in beachfront homes, barrier islands, mobile homes and low-lying areas are advised to seek shelter if they're concerned for their safety.

The Colleton Medical Center has opened a special needs shelter.

Anyone who needs more information can call Colleton County Emergency Preparedness at 549-5632.

Blood drive canceled

The American Red Cross has canceled Thursday’s blood drive by WCBD-TV, the NBC affiliate in Charleston. The drive was expected to draw more than 500 blood donors.

To make up for the loss, the agency has added the following emergency blooddrives in Columbia Thursday:

The Plex at the Village at Sandhill, Clemson Road, 2 to 7 p.m.
Best Buy, Harbison Boulevard, 2 to 7 p.m.
Columbia Donor Center, 2751 Bull Street, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The drive will also continue Friday.
Swansea High School, 500 East First Street, Swansea, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Florence Donor Center, 1555-B West Palmetto Street, Florence, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Blood donors of all blood types are urged to donate Thursday and Friday. No appointments are needed. For more information, call 803-251-6000 or 1-800-GIVE LIFE.

Colleges

Classes cancelled Thursday
College of Charleston
Charleston School of Law
The Citadel, including all classes in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies
Trident Technical College, all campuses
Medical University of South Carolina, all classes and clinics

Open Thursday
Charleston Southern University

Roper St. Francis

Roper-St. Francis Healthcare will proceed with all of its clinical and diagnostic services, including surgeries, Thurday.

Among its other facilities, the Lowcountry Senior Center on James Island will remain open, but the Roper St. Francis Learning Center and Roper St. Francis Medical Center Mount Pleasant on Long Point Road will be closed.

Roper St. Francis Kiawah Seabrook Medical & Urgent Care Center will open as usual but close at
noon.

C of C cancels classes

College of Charleston and The Graduate School of the College of Charleston

Due to the expected impact of Tropical Storm Ernesto on the South Carolina coast, the College of Charleston has cancelled all classes and scheduled activities for August 31, 2006.  The campus is closed and only essential employees are required to come to work. 

Classes and events will resume on September 1, 2006 starting at 8 a.m unless otherwise announced.

Any further updates will be posted on the College of Charleston web page and on the College of Charleston Emergency Weather Hotline at 725-RAIN.