Here’s when Myrtle Beach and Horry police, fire won’t be out during Hurricane Dorian
As Hurricane Dorian targets Myrtle Beach, police and fire agencies say weather conditions could lead to slower response times or fewer officers on the road.
Heavy winds can topple emergency vehicles and make conditions outside of vehicles dangerous for first responders.
Myrtle Beach police officers will stay on the roads as long as the weather allows, city spokesman Mark Kruea said. There is no predetermined wind speed when they stop responding to calls.
Myrtle Beach police Cpl. Thomas Vest said officers are removed as a safety measure.
“It’s just unsafe for us to stay out at that point,” Vest said.
Police not being able to respond to an emergency is one reason police recommend people evacuate, Vest said. Anyone with a medical issue should leave because police might have a slower response time because of weather conditions.
Myrtle Beach Fire Department crews change their responses when winds reach a sustained 60 miles per hour, Capt. Jonathan Evans said. Though, he added, EMS and fire crews might not go out at lower wind speeds if they determine it is unsafe.
If Hurricane Dorian’s path holds steady, the Myrtle Beach area could see peak sustained winds near 60 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service. The wind speeds could increase dramatically if the path of the hurricane shifts more inland.
In Horry County, fire crews stop responding at 60 mph, and police will stop responding once there are tropical storm level winds, officials said.
During Hurricane Florence a year ago, wind speeds reached levels that prevented Horry County fire and police from responding for less than 12 hours, Kelly Moore said.
