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.
A safe, secure and thriving South Carolina that effectively addresses Homeland Security issues and assists other states when asked and as appropriate.
Annually, the SAA 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 (houses of worship, schools, government agencies, 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 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; Statewide Active Shooter / Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attack (AS/CCTA) Program; SC State Fusion Center; Statewide Emergency Responder badging/credentialing coordination and oversight program, including 46,000 responders. The SAA also supports the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC), construction and renovation of multiple EOCs; Project SeaHawk and emergency management activities statewide.
If you have questions regarding:
1. Immigration, please call: 1-800-375-5283
2. Reporting suspicious activities, call (803) 896-7133
3. US Department of Homeland Security Operator, please call: 202-282-8000
FEMA NIMS Guideline for the National Qualification System (Download Document): 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) (Download Document: 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.
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
To Submit a request for Physical Security Assessment Consulting click the following link or scan the QR code below: https://forms.office.com/g/agw91XdBcs
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.
South Carolina has made significant strides in achieving interoperability across the State through the development of its shared statewide 800 megahertz (MHz) trunked radio system. Homeland security funds have been used across the State to enhance this 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 Department, the Statewide Interoperability Coordinator and the Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee. Their Homeland Security provided website is located at the following link: www.interoperability.sc.gov
The AS and CCTA Training Program provides training for emergency responders and citizens. This includes training courses for active shooter (AS) and complex coordinated terrorist attack (AS/CCTA) situations. We expect to continue support for this training at this time as it transitions to SLED. This program is being done in coordination with the local community (i.e. churches, businesses), county and state government agency partners. This includes training in many different states across the nation. Classes range from active shooter awareness & Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE), to Stop the Bleed and AS/CCTA Dispatcher Training. Additions to training includes active violence training for the special needs community, revisions to reunification training materials as well as single officer response classes.
The US Department of Homeland Security identified 32 core capabilities useful in reducing the threat, vulnerability and/or consequence of all hazards. The SAA Department 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 SAA Department 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.
SLED is currently the DHS/FEMA designated State Administrative Agency (SAA) for the following grants:
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 will start in January 2026 with solicitation e-mails to multiple organizations.
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)) that request(ed) applications will send their applications to SLED by the provided due date. For the SLCGP, eligible subrecipients that requested applications (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 by the required due date. 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 latest guidance referenced below:
1) For the HSGP visit https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/homeland-security.
2) For the NSGP visit https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/nonprofit-security.
3) For the SLCGP visit https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/state-local-cybersecurity-grant-program
This site is available to all those who received a grant from the SC OHS.
