MPPD News

With Halloween coming up Monday we wanted to give you a few tips to help keep you and your children safe while trick or treating: Walk Safely *Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.  Look left, right and left again  when crossing and keep looking as you cross. *Put electronic devices down and keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street. *Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them. *Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left  as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings. *Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or  cross between parked cars. *Trick or treat with an adult. *Children under the age of 12 should not be alone at night without adult supervision. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, they should stick to famil

by Marquel Coaxum, Multimedia Coordinator MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (Oct. 21, 2016) -  The Town of Mount Pleasant started debris removal operations Monday to begin pickup of storm debris in the Town, left in the wake of Hurricane Matthew. The debris is being collected by the Town's Waste Management Division of the Public Services Department and the Charleston County debris removal contractor,  AshBritt  Environmental. "As a whole, we have a lot of storm debris to collect that was left behind by Hurricane Matthew, but I'm proud of the progress our crews have made since we began the initial pickup at the start of the week," said Jody Peele, Town public services director. "We have teams deployed to cover all areas of the Town to help make the clean up an efficient and effective process." The Town and  AshBritt  deployed crews throughout the Town to ensure that debris in all areas of the Town are collected, and together they have collected more t

  What:   Drug Take Back Program Where: 1481 Highway 17 North (Wal-Mart Wando Crossing) When:  October 22, 2016              10 a.m. until 2 p.m.      Turn in your unused or expired medication for safe disposal on Oct. 22nd from 10am to 2pm at Wal-Mart in Wando Crossing. We are unable to accept liquids, syringes, or inhalers. 

Town to begin Matthew storm debris removal by Marquel Coaxum, Interim Communications Manager MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (Oct. 12, 2016) - The Town of Mount Pleasant will begin a town-wide storm debris pick up starting Monday morning, in an effort to remove vegetative debris, construction debris and other damaged items related to Hurricane Matthew. The Town is coordinating with Charleston County’s debris removal contractor, AshBritt Environmental, to facilitate removal.   The intent is for AshBritt to conduct two sweeps of the town to ensure everything is collected.   To make the most efficient use of resources, residents are encouraged to place as much material as possible at the curbside prior to the initial sweep that starts Monday. To expedite the debris removal process, Charleston County is asking residents to separate their storm debris into six main categories; household garbage, construction debris, vegetative debris, hazardous waste, large appliances and electronics.

State Joint Information Center Phone: 803-737-8515  |  Social: @SCEMD   Residents Should Ask to See Identification of Hurricane Matthew Relief Workers COLUMBIA, S.C. – Residents in affected counties are encouraged to be mindful of possible scams associated with the recovery efforts of hurricane Matthew. Thousands of disaster workers will be coming into the state from all over the country. People affected by Matthew should keep in mind: ·          Ask for proper identification of service providers. ·          Legitimate service providers will not ask for personal information such as the name of your bank, social security numbers or any other identifying information. ·          If you feel unsafe when individuals come upon your property, call 911 for local law enforcement assistance. Any residents with questions about ongoing Hurricane Matthew response and recovery actions should call the toll-free South Carolina Public Information Phone

Mount Pleasant, SC - The Town of Mount Pleasant announces that all government offices will resume normal operations on October 10, 2016. No further curfews will be implemented within the Town of Mount Pleasant regarding the recovery efforts of Hurricane Matthew. The Planning Department will be ready to issue building permits on Monday to assist those needing repairs.  Municipal court will also be in session on October 10, 2016 beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Mount Pleasant, SC - The Town of Mount Pleasant Public Services Division will resume normal garbage collection on October 10, 2016. Coordination with Charleston County for vegetative debris removal is ongoing. We ask the community to be patient as debris removal could take several weeks to complete due to high volumes.

The evacuation order has been lifted for the Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester Counties by Gov. Haley.

Here's a quick reminder about the curfew from midnight tonight to 6 a.m tomorrow. Stay safe!

Per the SCDOT, the Ravenel Bridge is now open for service after the temporary stoppage for an inspection.

Below is a list of flooded roadways within the Town of Mount Pleasant: Chimney Bluff/Stratford Ln. Wando Park Blvd. Center Lake Dr. Lakeshore Back section of Rivertowne on the Wando Dunes West Guard Station Palmetto Hall Carolina Park around the traffic circle Darrell Creek Charleston National Country Club Col. Vanderhorst Circle at Waring Way

Hurricane Matthew NEWS RELEASE 11 For Immediate Release Contact: State Joint Information Center Phone: 803-737-8515  |  Social: @SCEMD Be Aware of Safety and Health Dangers Columbia, S.C. – Residents should be aware of potential dangers from Hurricane Matthew as county emergency managers have reported downed power lines, fallen trees, and flooded and washed out roads in the Lowcountry, Midlands and Pee Dee regions of South Carolina. As hazardous conditions may delay response time for those in need of help, the S.C. Emergency Management Division recommends the following precautions to be taken in an effort to mitigate risk for citizens and first responders. Stay inside and off the roads. You will not be able to return to your home immediately. Even after the storm passes it could take a few days before emergency crews have assessed all areas for safety hazards or any necessary rescue operations. Do not attempt to re-enter your community until state and local publi

Listen to local officials for updates and instructions. Check-in with family and friends by texting or using social media. Return home only when authorities indicate it is safe. Watch out for debris and downed power lines. Avoid walking or driving through flood waters. Just 6 inches of moving water can knock you down, and fast-moving water can sweep your vehicle away. Avoid flood water as it may be electrically charged from underground or downed power lines and may hide dangerous debris or places where the ground is washed away. Photograph the damage to your property in order to assist in filing an insurance claim. Do what you can to prevent further damage to your property, (e.g., putting a tarp on a damaged roof), as insurance may not cover additional damage that occurs after the storm.

Out of an abundance of caution and due to the complex design of the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. cable-stay bridge, SCDOT has closed the bridge until an engineering inspection can be completed. Specialized engineers will begin their review as soon as weather conditions permit.  SCDOT engineers are taking these steps to ensure the safety of the motoring public. The design of the Ravenel Bridge allows for some movement of the bridge elements, but Hurricane Matthew is the bridge’s first exposure to significant storm force winds. SCDOT is able to remotely monitor sensors on the bridge; however, SCDOT’s top bridge engineer recommends an on-site, physical review of the bridge before it is opened to traffic. SCDOT intends to return the bridge to service as soon as possible, pending the outcome of the physical inspection.  Lee Floyd SCDOT Contact 803-737-1493 or 803-737-1290  

NEWS RELEASE 10 For Immediate Release DANGEROUS CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT SOUTH CAROLINA COLUMBIA, S.C. ­- The S.C. Emergency Response Team strongly reminds all citizens coastal evacuation orders are still in effect. Hurricane Matthew began impacting the state this morning with hurricane and tropical storm-force winds, heavy rain and flooding along the coast and far inland, and forecasters say hazardous conditions will continue to affect evacuated areas for at least the next 12 hours. From Hilton Head to North Myrtle Beach, citizens are asked to stay away from evacuated areas until conditions improve and the danger subsides. The S.C. Emergency Management Division website,  scemd.org , lists emergency shelter status statewide and is updated in real-time by the S.C. Department of Social Services. Coastal evacuees without internet access are urged to call the state Public Information Phone System at  1-866-246-0133 . For more information visit  scemd.org  or follow @SCE

Longpoint Rd. is shut down between Parkway Dr. and the traffic Circle at Needlerush Parkway. Those that live in Rice Planters must use Whipple Rd.

Area bridges are now in condition red.  Sustained winds have reached 40mph. It is unsafe to for the public to travel over these bridges. Anyone who drives over bridges against this advisory is doing so at their own risk.

Mount Pleasant, SC – The Town of Mount Pleasant Police Department would like to remind citizens of the communications channels being used during Hurricane Matthew. Critical information will be shared on these social media platforms throughout the storm. Twitter - @mountpleasantpd Facebook - www.facebook.com/mountpleasantpd Nextdoor - http://www.nextdoor.com Blog - http://www.mppdnews.blogspot.com The Town of Mount Pleasant Police Department will also utilize their smartphone app which sends critical notifications directly to your phone. Smartphone App Downloads: iOS- https://appsto.re/us/ieL5P.i Android- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.netgalaxystudios.tomppd&hl=en

KEY MESSAGES: 1. The western eyewall of Matthew, which contains hurricane-force winds, is now moving over the northern coast of Georgia and the southern coast of South Carolina and should spread up the coast during the day. 2. Hurricane winds increase very rapidly with height, and occupants of high-rise buildings along the coast are at particular risk of strong winds. Winds at the top of a 30-story building will average one Saffir-Simpson category higher than the winds near the surface. 3. The water hazards remain, even if the core of Matthew remains offshore. These include the danger of life-threatening inundation from storm surge, as well as inland flooding from heavy rains from Florida to North Carolina. 4. The National Hurricane Center is issuing Potential Storm Surge Flooding Maps, and Prototype Storm Surge Watch/Warning Graphics for Matthew. It is important to remember that the Potential Storm Surge Flooding Map does not represent a forecast of expected inundatio

UPDATE: Town of Mount Pleasant curfew in effect until 6 a.m.

Town of Mount Pleasant Curfew Reminder

From the School District: Charleston County School District schools will remain closed for students on Monday, October 10, 2016. This decision was made for several reasons: Hundreds of thousands of people (including many of our employees) that evacuated our area will be trying to return on Sunday or Monday; Current storm projections lead us to believe there may be water damage in some of our schools; and Several of our schools are being used as shelters. Deep cleaning will be required for these facilities, and most likely, our hard-working staff will not be able to finish those tasks until sometime on Monday. A decision has not been made at this time regarding staff schedules for Monday. Please continue to stay safe and follow local law enforcement’s instructions.

KEY MESSAGES: 1. We have been very fortunate that Matthew's strongest winds have remained a short distance offshore of the Florida Coast thus far, but this should not be a reason to let down our guard. Only a small deviation to the left of the forecast track could bring these winds onshore. The western eyewall of Matthew, which contains hurricane-force winds, is expected to move over or very near the coast of northeastern Florida and Georgia through tonight. 2. Hurricane winds increase very rapidly with height, and occupants of high-rise buildings in the Jacksonville area are at particular risk of strong winds. Winds at the top of a 30-story building will average one Saffir-Simpson category higher than the winds near the surface. 3. The water hazards remain, even if the core of Matthew remains offshore. These include the danger of life-threatening inundation from storm surge, as well as inland flooding from heavy rains from Florida to North Carolina. 4. The National

We wanted to take moment to let our citizens know that all of our men and women have been working hard since Wednesday to safeguard our community. These officers and civilians have been on 12 hour shifts and have not left to see their families.  We will continue to be here throughout the storm protecting our community. An active presence of officers will be in the neighborhoods and patrolling businesses until conditions deteriorate to the point where we must come off of the road. We will be at the ready and will respond to calls as soon as conditions allow.  We also want to say thank you to our Fire Department and Public Services. They have been side by side with us as we prepared the Town for the Hurricane Matthew. Everyone be safe!

Chief of Police Carl Ritchie has announced that the Town of Mount Pleasant has implemented a curfew beginning at 12 midnight tonight that will continue until 6:00 a.m. Chief Ritchie emphasizes the importance of those who have not evacuated and still want to, should do so now. It is important for our residents to stay home if they have not evacuated so that first responders can focus on storm issues and emergency response. 

All CARTA emergency operations have been suspended as of 12:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7.

KEY MESSAGES: 1. We have been very fortunate that Matthew's category 3 winds have remained a short distance offshore of the Florida Coast thus far, but this should not be a reason to let down our guard. Only a small deviation to the left of the forecast track could bring these winds onshore. The western eyewall of Matthew, which contains hurricane-force winds, is expected to move over or very near the coast of northeastern Florida and Georgia today. 2. Hurricane winds increase very rapidly with height, and occupants of high-rise buildings in the Jacksonville area are at particular risk of strong winds. Winds at the top of a 30-story building will average one Saffir-Simpson category higher than the winds near the surface. 3. The water hazards remain, even if the core of Matthew remains offshore. These include the danger of life-threatening inundation from storm surge, as well as inland flooding from heavy rains from Florida to North Carolina. 4. The National Hurri

Columbia, S.C. – Evacuees seeking refuge from Hurricane Matthew should call 1-866-246-0133 to be directed to the nearest open emergency shelter anywhere in the state. The state’s public information phone system is operational 24 hours a day until South Carolina is no longer in danger. The S.C. Emergency Management Division website, scemd.org , lists emergency shelter status statewide and is updated in real-time by the S.C. Department of Social Services. Coastal evacuees currently traveling or without internet access are urged to call the PIPS line if they need assistance. S.C. PUBLIC INFORMATION PHONE SYSTEM 1-866-246-0133 For more information visit scemd.org or follow @SCEMD on Twitter and Facebook.

DOT and the Highway Patrol are in the process of restoring the normal flow of traffic on I-26. It is expected to take a couple of hours to fully complete.

CARTA service resumes Oct. 7 at 8 a.m. and goes for as long as weather allows. If you need transportation to a shelter call: 843-746-3900 or 843-724-7420.

KEY MESSAGES: 1. Matthew is likely to produce devastating impacts from storm surge, extreme winds, and heavy rains along extensive portions of the east-central and northeast coast of Florida today. 2. Evacuations are not just a coastal event. Strong winds will occur well inland from the coast, and residents of mobile homes under evacuation orders are urged to heed those orders. 3. Hurricane winds increase very rapidly with height, and residents of high-rise buildings are at particular risk of strong winds. Winds at the top of a 30-story building will average one Saffir-Simpson category higher than the winds near the surface. 4. When a hurricane is forecast to take a track roughly parallel to a coastline, as Matthew is forecast to do from Florida through South Carolina, it becomes very difficult to specify impacts at any one location. Only a small deviation of the track to the left of the NHC forecast could bring the core of a major hurricane onshore within the hurricane

CARTA will end its emergency service – on-demand pickup for seniors, pet owners and those at blue hurricane signs downtown – at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6. Until then, anyone who needs a ride is asked to call the Charleston County Emergency Operations Center at (843) 746-3900 to get started. More information will be available as this situation progresses. The latest on CARTA service alterations can be found at: www.ridecarta.com/hurricanematthew Facebook/rideCARTA Twitter: @rideCARTA CARTA Customer Service: (843) 724-7420 MEDIA CONTACT Daniel Brock, (919) 820-2612, dbrock@rawlemurdy.com   Sebastian Hale, (336) 409-3856, shale@rawlemurdy.com

KEY MESSAGES: 1. Matthew is likely to produce devastating impacts from storm surge, extreme winds, and heavy rains in the northwestern Bahamas today, and along extensive portions of the east coast of Florida tonight. 2. Evacuations are not just a coastal event. Strong winds will occur well inland from the coast, and residents of mobile homes under evacuation orders are urged to heed those orders. 3. Hurricane winds increase very rapidly with height, and residents of high-rise buildings are at particular risk of strong winds. Winds at the top of a 30-story building will average one Saffir-Simpson category higher than the winds near the surface. 4. When a hurricane is forecast to take a track roughly parallel to a coastline, as Matthew is forecast to do from Florida through South Carolina, it becomes very difficult to specify impacts at any one location. Only a small deviation of the track to the left of the NHC forecast could bring the core of a major hurricane onshore

There is no current plan to close any of the bridges in Mount Pleasant during the evacuation phase of this storm. The picture below explains what procedures are used in high winds.

Please do not start putting extra items at the curb. No special runs will be made to collect them. This includes furniture, tree limbs, etc.

1. Matthew is likely to produce devastating impacts from storm surge, extreme winds, and heavy rains in the central and northwestern Bahamas today, and along portions of the east coast of Florida tonight. 2. When a hurricane is forecast to take a track roughly parallel to a coastline, as Matthew is forecast to do from Florida through South Carolina, it becomes very difficult to specify impacts at any one location. For example, only a small deviation of the track to the left of the NHC forecast could bring the core of a major hurricane onshore within the hurricane warning area in Florida and Georgia. However, a small deviation to the right could keep the hurricane-force winds offshore. Similarly large variations in impacts are possible in the hurricane watch area in northeast Georgia and South Carolina. 3. Tropical storm or hurricane conditions could affect eastern North Carolina later this week or this weekend, even if the center of Matthew remains offshore. 4. The Nati

Please contact the above account or call 803-737-3953.

Make sure you are following our social media platforms and have our smartphone app downloaded. We will put out critical information regarding Hurricane Matthew on these platforms throughout the storm. Our smartphone app allows us to send critical notifications directly to your phone. Twitter - @mountpleasantpd Facebook - www.facebook.com/mountpleasantpd Instagram - mountpleasantpolice Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/MtPleasantPD/videos Nextdoor - http://www.nextdoor.com Blog - http://www.mppdnews.blogspot.com Smartphone App Downloads: iOS- https://appsto.re/us/ieL5P.i Android- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.netgalaxystudios.tomppd&hl=en

KEY MESSAGES: 1. Matthew is likely to produce devastating impacts from storm surge, extreme winds, and heavy rains in the central and northwestern Bahamas today, and along portions of the east coast of Florida tonight. 2. When a hurricane is forecast to take a track roughly parallel to a coastline, as Matthew is forecast to do from Florida through South Carolina, it becomes very difficult to specify impacts at any one location. For example, only a small deviation of the track to the left of the NHC forecast could bring the core of a major hurricane onshore within the hurricane warning area in Florida and Georgia. However, a small deviation to the right could keep the hurricane-force winds offshore. Similarly large variations in impacts are possible in the hurricane watch area in northeast Georgia and South Carolina. 3. Tropical storm or hurricane conditions could affect eastern North Carolina later this week or this weekend, even if the center of Matthew remains offshore. 4.

For Immediate Release Contact: Chaney Adams, 803-528-7217 Joe Farmer or Derrec Becker, 803-737-8500                 Emergency Shelters Now Open Columbia, S.C. (Wednesday, October 5, 2016) – The South Carolina Response Team today announced the opening of shelters across the state for residents and visitors who are evacuating from coastal areas as Hurricane Matthew approaches. Shelters began opening on Wednesday, October 5, and as of 5 PM there are 32 shelters open. Shelters are generally the place of last resort. Individuals and families are encouraged to have emergency plans in place. These plans should include relatives or friends with whom you can stay or locations to which you will travel. In the event that you must use a shelter, be sure to make arrangement for your pets; pets are not allowed in official shelters with the exception of two listed below. The Department of Social Services is designated as the lead agency for coordinating mass care operations. In

The Town plans on executing Thursday's garbage and trash route collection as usual.  This is subject to change pending weather and Public Works' ability to navigate the area as the result of hurricane evacuation.

The following Charleston County shelters are now open: Midland Park Elementary School Matilda F. Dunston Elementary School AC Corcoran Elementary Burns Elementary (able to accept pets) Ladson Elementary North Charleston High School Stall High School

Gov. Nikki Haley Announces Evacuation of Charleston and Beaufort Areas Traffic Lanes of I-26 Will Be Reversed COLUMBIA, S.C.  - As Hurricane Matthew threatens the southeastern United States, Governor Nikki Haley today ordered an evacuation of coastal areas in and around Charleston and Beaufort, South Carolina   Residents and visitors in Charleston and Beaufort Counties should begin evacuating no later than 3:00 PM TODAY, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5.  Residents and visitors in certain parts of bordering coastal counties – Berkeley, Colleton, Dorchester and Jasper Counties – should begin evacuating no later than 3:00 PM TODAY, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5. To verify whether you are located in an evacuation zone, please visit www.scemd.org and click, “Know your Zone,” to enter your home address.  Evacuation details, by region, are listed below and detailed via an  interactive map at that South Carolina Emergency Management Division’s website. Maps of coastal evacuation routes, including