President Trump issued a state of emergency declaration for the state of South Carolina on Thursday as Hurricane Irma, a Category 5 storm, makes its way towards the Palmetto state.
The declaration gives the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency more freedom to coordinate disaster relief programs.
FEMA now has the authority to “identify, mobilize, and provide, at its discretion, equipment, and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency,” the declaration said.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster issued a state of emergency on Wednesday after the latest hurricane forecasts shifted the storm’s projected track to the east, skimming the coast of Florida and heading straight towards South Carolina.
Trump has already approved emergency declarations for Florida, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands because of Irma.
