Horry County’s new $24M public safety nerve center called one of SC’s best

Horry County prides itself on being ready to handle the most powerful of storms. But for decades, its emergency response command center made that job difficult.

In a few months, the county’s emergency management and 911 departments are moving into a $24 million facility off Industrial Park Road that includes a dedicated helipad and on-site power source that can keep it fully operational for up to 72 hours.

Officials couldn’t immediately say when the new center will be put into use, but it’s expected to be ready for action by early 2023.

“We’re glad to have this world-class, first rate facility and it’s something that we’ve been wanting for a long time,” County Council chairman Johnny Gardner said during an Aug. 31 dedication ceremony. “This is something we’ve been wanting for a long time, and something that’s going to help our growth and help make everybody safe.”

Officials are paying for it using $15 million in bonds from long-term debt and cash from other sources, including the county’s general fund.

The 43,600-square-foot site — built to withstand winds of 160 mph — will house more than 80 full-time employees and more than doubles the space for dispatchers, from 16 consoles currently in use to 34.

That’s critical, as the department continues to see big jumps in its volume. In 2017, dispatchers fielded more than 235,000 calls - with more than 300,000 logged in 2021.

“You don’t know what this means for us to be here today. We started 911 with eight seats,” county 911 director Renee Hardwick said. “If you’ve been to our existing facility, I have to describe it somewhat like a dungeon. It’s dark and dreary and there’s little light.”

The relocation means Horry County’s flood-prone M.L. Brown Building, constructed in 1994 off Main Street in Conway, will have its use dramatically scaled back.

David Morrison, manager of the state’s 911 program, said the new center puts Horry County at the forefront of emergency preparedness.

“As I’ve traveled the state, I’ve seen everything from a PSAP (public safety answering point) the size of a closet to the other extreme, which I would refer to as state-of-the art, facilities like Charleston County,” he said. “This facility beside us put Horry County on that level. This is just another example of Horry County’s dedication to give the best service to their citizens.”

Horry County added more than 82,000 people between 2010 and 2020, making it one of America’s most rapidly growing.

With more than a dozen conference and breakout rooms, multipurpose areas that can be converted into temporary living quarters and a footprint on higher land less prone to flooding, the center is expected to have a lifespan of up to 60 years.

It’s named in honor of Randall Webster, the county’s longtime assistant county administrator nationally known for his emergency management expertise — particularly in hurricane response. He was named the S.C. emergency director of the year in 2016.

“The building, it’s addressed all the issues we’ve had in order to make it better for the folks that have to be here,” he said.