Dorchester County Emergency Management Department

10/23/2026

Come on down to Saint George tonight from 5–7 PM for the annual Trunk or Treat event!

Will you brave the Haunted Command Truck of Doom and Despair?!? 👻

Not interested in spooky things? Three-Michelin-star chef Dave and his prodigy rat, Josephine, will be cooking up delicious candy!

10/22/2026

Besides the big glaring “fake forecast” label on these graphics, I bet a lot of people would think these forecast were real!

I mean…they look EXACTLY like official US National Weather Service Charleston SC graphics and even have their logo on them!

This was made using the FREE version of ChatGPT to demonstrate how easy it is for literally anyone to develop official looking products.

A familiar logo, professional-looking map, or screenshot does NOT guarantee that weather information is authentic.

So…make sure to get weather updates directly from official sources like NWS Charleston, trusted local meteorologists (like Live 5 News), and official emergency management accounts like yours truly.

Just to be clear…IT IS NOT SNOWING THIS WEEKEND. Have a good day🥰

10/19/2026

Alright....who turned the thermostat from Summer to Winter without at least 5 days of Fall.

Though it did feel nice to watch football with a hot glass of apple c***r last night!

Also...Bryce Young for MVP!

Send a message to learn more

10/16/2026

Me when someone lives in one of our 3 hurricane evacuation zones and says they would never evacuate because they survived Hurricane Hugo…

Note: I don’t ACTUALLY do this, I just picture it in my mind. HOWEVER, if this post gets 100 likes I will start bringing a spray bottle to my preparedness talks.

10/15/2026

I present to you...3 Emergency Managers who likely survived the earthquake and 1 stubborn Deputy Director whose position we would likely need to fill after the earthquake.

Remember...Drop, Cover, and Hold On!

Thanks to Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills for organizing this simple but effective drill each year!

10/15/2026

Today at 10:15 AM is the Great Shakeout! It’s the world’s largest earthquake drill!

Join us and millions of others across the world by practicing what to do if the earth starts shaking.

It’s pretty straightforward…just drop, cover, and hold on! Or, follow one of the simple variations in the picture below.

It’s basically stop, drop, and rolls less popular cousin! But, its just as cool😎

Those simple steps can help keep you and your family safe during one of the most dangerous disasters that can impact Dorchester County!

Hope you join us!

10/12/2026

Rain from Isaias behaved in Dorchester County, so we luckily did not have to activate the EOC.

HOWEVER...

Charleston County Emergency Management was curious about our team’s first EOC activations, so we obviously had to join in the fun and make a little video about it!

Join me in the comments in wishing Sieanna better luck next disaster. But maybe she is actually good luck, and we will never have to activate again!

10/10/2026

EXPIRED:

Tornado Watch in effect for ALL of Dorchester County until 8 PM. A watch means you should be prepared to take action if needed.

Make sure to stay weather aware throughout the watch duration and identify your tornado safe room now.

Your tornado safe room should be on the lowest level of your home away from any exterior walls or windows!

Bonus points if you bring your emergency kit!

10/10/2026

Good Morning Everyone,

So far, most of the heavy rainfall has stayed along the coast or just offshore. However, Dorchester County is still forecast to receive another 1 to 3 inches of rain throughout the rest of the day and throughout the overnight hours.

Where we could run into issues is if some of those stronger storms producing heavier rainfall start pushing farther inland. If that happens, some areas could even see higher rainfall totals between 3 and 6 inches.

Hopefully, all of those storms stay offshore and we won’t have to provide any more updates for the rest of the day. Comment, “I don’t want to hear from you anymore this weekend 😤,” to increase the chance of those storms staying offshore.

If that doesn’t work, we will be sure to keep you updated on any additional watches and warnings issued throughout the day (flash flood, tornado, etc.).

That’s all for now! Stay safe and stay dry!

10/09/2026

Good Morning Everyone,

Isaias is now a major hurricane and is expected to make landfall along the Gulf Coast later tonight. Although the center of the storm will remain well west of the region, heavy rainfall is likely across the Lowcountry this weekend. Saturday will still be the most active day, so adjust plans accordingly.

The majority of Dorchester County is forecast to receive 2 to 4 inches of rain, with higher totals focused on the lower end of the county (Summerville and North Charleston). A reasonable worst-case scenario could see these areas receive 6+ inches throughout the weekend, depending on where heavier storms set up over the region.

Obviously, our primary concern is flash flooding associated with heavy, persistent rainfall. Additionally, we cannot rule out a short-lived tornado or two associated with thunderstorm activity this weekend. Finally, it might be a bit windy on Saturday.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU:

1) Never, ever walk or drive through floodwaters. Turn around, don’t drown! I don’t think I have to go into this one any further...y’all know the drill by now! Looking at you, big lifted truck owners.

2) If you still have outdoor plans on Saturday, you should likely adjust them to something you can do indoors with limited travel. Perhaps even stay home most of the day and have a cozy movie marathon. You could even attempt to build the 7,541-piece LEGO Millennium Falcon...it should only take you like an hour or two!

3) Make sure you have multiple ways to receive weather alerts! We will make sure to share any watches or warnings that are issued this weekend (flash flood, tornado, etc.)...but you can also sign up for automated weather alerts on your phone by registering for Alert Dorchester:

https://www.smart911.com/smart911/ref/reg.action?pa=dorchestercountysc

4) I love all of the houses in Dorchester County that go all out for Halloween because they really get me into the spoopy spirit. HOWEVER...it might be a good idea to bring those 35-foot skeletons into the garage for the weekend. Spread the message in the comments with . It is probably a good idea to bring in little ghosts and other lightweight decorations as well...and don’t forget empty trash cans!

That is all for now. We will continue to update you as needed throughout the weekend, especially if any new data has major impacts on the forecast. Stay safe and stay dry!