Mission
Prevent, protect from, respond to and recover from terrorism and associated crime as well as mitigate, respond to and recover from natural and manmade hazards while building resilient communities.
Vision
A safe, secure and thriving South Carolina that effectively addresses Homeland Security issues in South Carolina and assists other states when asked and as appropriate.
Annually, the State Administrative Agency (SAA) for Homeland Security supports Homeland Security capability development by providing grants, guidance, equipment, training and exercises for Law Enforcement, Fire, EMS, and Emergency Management organizations, benefitting communities across the state (Churches, Schools, Units of Government, Citizen Organizations, and other entities).
It also provides risk assessments to determine where best to invest resources and build capabilities. Key investment areas include the development and sustainment of the State’s 37 Homeland Security Regional Response Teams (WMD SWAT, Bomb, HazMat; Regional Medical Assistance Teams, Incident Management Teams, Urban Search and Rescue, Collapse Search and Rescue Teams); A statewide emergency responder communications system including 80,000 users as well as the Statewide Interoperability Coordinator (SWIC); The standup & support of the SC Cyber-security program; the Statewide Critical Infrastructure/Key Resources (CI/KR) Program; Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)/Counterterrorism Training Coordination; The standup & support of SC State Fusion Center; Statewide Emergency Responder badging/credentialing coordination and oversight program, including over 45,000 responders. The SAA also supports the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC), Project SeaHawk and emergency management activities statewide.
The SLED SAA for Homeland Security is not the United State Department of Homeland Security.
SC State Administrative Agency (SAA) Contact
| Robert Connell (PhD), Director, SAA Homeland Security Department | 803-896-7021 |
National Incident Management System (NIMS)/ Incident Command System (ICS)
The National Incident Management System (NIMS) is a standardized, flexible framework developed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that provides a consistent nationwide approach for federal, state, local, tribal, and private-sector entities to work together to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from incidents of any size or type. It emphasizes common terminology, a modular organizational structure (primarily the Incident Command System), integrated communications, comprehensive resource management, and established management and command processes to enable effective and coordinated incident management.
NIMS/ICS Contact
| Neil Anderson | 803-995-1073 |
NIMS Credentialing
FEMA NIMS Guideline for the National Qualification System: This publication establishes guidance and tools to assist authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) in developing processes for qualifying, certifying, and credentialing deployable emergency personnel.
FEMA supplemental guide for Qualification Review Boards (QRB): This publication describes the principles of a QRB and provides recommendations and practices to help an AHJ establish or enhance a QRB. This publication can either be used a primary or a supplemental tool to help and AHJ establish its own qualification process.
State Credentialing SOP: This publication provides guidance on qualification, credentialing, and access to our database of record (Salamander) for credentials and badges.
South Carolina’s Database of Record.
This link is to the FEMA website that provides access to an online catalogue of national resource typing definitions and positions qualifications criteria Resource Typing Library Tool - RTLT.
This link provides access to published position tasks books from FEMA National Qualification System Position Task Books | FEMA.gov.
Department of Homeland Security Supported Training
Individuals interested in DHS training need to review the appropriate catalogue on the web (i.e. for NTED training go to: https://cdp.dhs.gov/training/consortium/ and https://www.firstrespondertraining.gov/frts/npccatalog). Once this is done, please follow the guidelines specified in the relevant catalogue and complete/submit the required training form.
SAA Homeland Security Training Point of Contact (TPOC) for South Carolina
| Neil Anderson | 803-995-1073 |
Training Documents
SC Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) Charter - June 2024
Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources Program (CI/KR)
The mission of the SLED Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (CI/KR) program is to provide information, guidance, and recommendations to reduce and mitigate risks to South Carolina’s critical infrastructure sectors. The CI/KR program emphasizes the protection of SC’s essential assets, recognizing their consequence of incapacity or loss, and ensuring continuity of key industry resources to maximize resiliency. South Carolina’s Critical Infrastructure Key Resource Protection Plan is supportive of the National Infrastructure Protection Plan and the SC Strategy for Homeland Security. The CI/KR program provides a mechanism to facilitate broad public and private sector partnering and cooperation to identify, prioritize, protect, and improve resiliency of South Carolina’s CI/KR assets, systems, and networks against all hazards, whether physical or virtual.
To submit a request for Physical Security Assessment Consulting, click the following link: http://forms.office.com/g/agw91XdBcs
Statewide Interoperable Communications
SAA for Homeland Security is responsible for communications interoperability across South Carolina. South Carolina has made significant strides in interoperability communications across the State through the development of its shared 800 megahertz (MHz) trunked radio system. Homeland Security funds have been used across the State to enhance the 800 megahertz (MHz) trunked statewide radio network. Commonly referred to as the "Palmetto 800," the South Carolina system has continued to grow and today is P25 compliant and is one of the largest shared, statewide radio networks in the nation with over 80,000 users. This system as well as interoperable communications training and guidance for statewide operations is supported by the SAA for Homeland Security, the Statewide Interoperability Coordinator and the Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee.
Threat/Hazard Risk Assessment Process
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security identified 32 core capabilities useful in reducing the threat, vulnerability and/or consequence of all hazards. The Office of Homeland Security performs an annual statewide Threat Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) and Stakeholder Preparedness Review (SPR) every year. This process is managed by the Homeland Security Advisor to the Governor (HSA), in conjunction with the State Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC). Once the THIRA/SPR process is completed the Office of Homeland Security will review and/or update the Homeland Security Strategy. The relative expenditure on assets to mitigate the risk drives the Homeland Security investment in capabilities. Authorized jurisdictions and agencies may receive a copy of the Strategy for Official Use Only.
Grants
The SLED/Office of Homeland Security is currently the DHS/FEMA designated State Administrative Agency (SAA) for the following grants:
- Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP)—inclusive of the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP)
- State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP)
- Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG)
- Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP)
Obtaining HSGP, SLCGP and NSGP Application Forms:
To obtain grant application forms for the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP), the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) or the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), please contact Bob Connell at rconnell@sled.sc.gov.
SLCGP: The application process for the 2024 SLCGP starts 20 March 2026 with solicitation e-mails to multiple organizations. If you have not received an application in an e-mail and desire an application, please click this SLCGP application link to download it (an MS Word Document). Please fill out your application and submit it to rconnell@sled.sc.gov by 15 May 2026, close of business.
The eligible recipient of these grants is the State Administrative Agency (SAA, which is SLED in South Carolina). For the HSGP, eligible subrecipients (city, county & state agencies/departments, and nonprofit organizations (with 501C3 status)) will send their applications to SLED. For the SLCGP, eligible subrecipients (county, municipality, city, town, township, local public authority, school district, special district, intrastate district, council of governments (regardless of whether the council of governments is incorporated as a nonprofit corporation under State law), regional or interstate government entity, or agency or instrumentality of a local government; an Indian tribe or authorized tribal organization; and a rural community, unincorporated town or village, or other public entity) will send their applications to SLED. For the NSGP, eligible subrecipients (nonprofit organizations (501C3 status) with a high risk of being attacked by terrorists) also send their applications to SLED to be compiled and provided to the Federal government in accordance with the guidance referenced below:
1. For the HSGP: https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/homeland-security
2. For the NSGP: https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/nonprofit-security
3. For the SLCGP visit https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/state-local-cybersecurity-grant-program
Please note that SLED has received an update for the SC Cyber Security Plan. It includes 5-additional objectives that can also be funded. These objectives are highlighted in red in the 2024 SLSGP Application Proposal Worksheet-Update (click link below). You can apply for funding to support the new objectives if you so desire.
2024 SLCGP Application Proposal Worksheet-Update