City council OKs second reading of $100K grant for Myrtle Beach FD

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — The Myrtle Beach Fire Department received approval on a second reading from city council on Tuesday for a $100,000 grant to help with disasters.

City Emergency Manager Travis Glatki said they’re funded a grant from the Department of Health and Environmental Control.

With the $100,000 given to them, they’re buying a rapidly deployable shelter system as well as a field communications system.

Glatki said the rapidly deployable shelter will be able to be set up in just seven months with the help of two people. He said it’ll operate as an operations command post, rehabilitation and relaxation center.

Glatki said the city of Myrtle Beach is the only location in the region that will have this shelter, so they wanted the best technology — even if it’s high in price.

He said the shelter is also portable.

“The field communications kit is actually called like a ham radio, amateur radio system. What that does is because it doesn’t rely on cell tower, internet, technology, we’re able to communicate with people out in the field,” Glatki said. “So, if a hurricane does come through and knocks out any sort of communication, we still have the ability to communicate not just with the field personnel but our local hospital system.”

Glatki said the Pee Dee Health Care Coalition is a co-op between all local health care organizations, so the fire department will be required to share these items if requested from an organization in the region.