The Public policy response to Hurricane Hugo in South Carolina.

Bibliography: p. 64-68

Just over three years ago, on September 22, 1989, Hurricane Hugo ravaged 24 of the 46 counties in South Carolina, causing approximately $6 billion in damages. In a state whose annual budget was approximately $3.6 billion in 1989, this was a major social and financial calamity. The purpose of the research reported here was to determine what happened in the public policy arena in the city of Charleston and at the state capitol concerning natural disaster mitigation. The majority of the data were collected in the year following Hurricane Hugo; however, every attempt was made to update outcomes at the state level through the three year anniversary of Hugo. The study is divided into seven sections. The first section describes the research design. It includes a discussion of a theoretical construct, institutional capacity, which is used to analyze the abilities and desires of policymakers to participate in natural hazards mitigation. The second section provides a brief description to the South Carolina government and political environment to determine the institutional capacities of the governor and the legislature to respond to a major natural disaster. The third section reports how the state has responded to previous emergencies, in order to illustrate its priorities in disaster respones. Thr fourth section reports the actions of Governor Campbell in response to Hurricane Hugo, his recommendations for change, and the subsequent results of his efforts. The fifth section invertigates the actions of the General Assembly to enact meaningful mitigation legislation in the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo. The sixth section concentrates on th Hugo-related policy decisions of the mayor and city council of Charleston. The seventh and last section discusses implications for natural disaster public policy