News

Charleston County Coroner’s Office Receives Emergency Preparedness Grant

Published

2 years ago

January 24, 2023

Press Release

The Charleston County Coroner’s Office has been awarded $625,212.00 in grant funds provided by the Lowcountry Healthcare Coalition through a grant from the Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response (ASPR).

Funds will be used to develop a tri-county plan for the set-up and operation of a Family Assistance Center in the event of a mass casualty event, to purchase a forensic radiology system, and to purchase a point of care toxicology analyzer. This analyzer will provide immediate drug testing results and real-time data to the coroner’s office, law enforcement and medical providers. This information will be used to impact the opioid epidemic with real-time data as it relates to fatal drug overdoses.

The mission of the Lowcountry Healthcare Coalition is to support local healthcare organizations and encourage partnerships with response agencies as well as regional community partners to adequately plan and respond to man-made or natural hazard emergencies. To facilitate this mission, the Coalition provides a forum to promote intra-regional planning, coordination and sharing of resources, information sharing, as well as offer excellent networking opportunities for members. Member organizations include but are not limited to: municipal, county and state emergency management agencies, public health, municipal and county public safety and first response agencies, county coroners’ offices, diverse healthcare providers, community businesses and organizations.

“The Charleston County Coroner’s Office is a member of the Lowcountry Healthcare Coalition and actively works with stakeholders to improve emergency preparedness in our region of South Carolina. We are honored to have been awarded funds which will focus on the specific needs of drug related death investigations, provide forensic radiology technology, and provide needed resources in the event our region experiences another mass casualty event,” said Coroner Bobbi Jo O’Neal.