(The Carolina Morning News posted the following story on its website on August 26.)
BLUFTON, S.C. — Beaufort County and South Carolina Public Railways will use the Port Royal Railroad to carry patients to Beaufort Memorial Hospital in the event of a hurricane evacuation of Beaufort County and the reversal of all four lanes of U.S. 21 in Beaufort.
State officials have announced that all four lanes of U.S. 21 in northern Beaufort County may be reversed in the event of an evacuation. If such a lane reversal occurs, the Port Royal Railroad, and a “hi-rail” vehicle equipped to travel on railroad, will be used to take patients from points in northern Beaufort County to Beaufort Memorial Hospital, county officials announced Monday.
Beaufort County Emergency Medical Services will take patients to the Sheldon Fire Station, where they will be placed on a hi-rail vehicle for the trip to a point in Burton. Beaufort County EMS will meet the hi-rail vehicle in Burton, and take patients to Beaufort Memorial Hospital. Beaufort County EMS will handle patient care throughout the process.
The South Carolina Emergency Management Division helped arrange the partnership between Beaufort County and South Carolina Public Railways.
“As we looked at alternatives for transporting patients back to the hospital in the event of all four lanes of U.S. 21 being reversed, this use of the Port Royal Railroad presented itself as our most efficient and effective option,” said William Winn, Beaufort County Emergency Management Director.
The only alternative ambulance route available in the event of a four-lane reversal of U.S. 21 would have taken more than an hour to carry patients between the Sheldon area and Beaufort Memorial, Winn said.
Beaufort County Emergency Management and EMS officials tested the railroad option with South Carolina Public Railways officials Aug. 12, and believe the trip between Sheldon and Burton can be made within 20 minutes, Winn said.
The Sheldon Fire District will provide its station as a staging area and appropriate personnel to assist in the operation.
Winn pointed out that the Port Royal Railroad only will be used as a “worst-case scenario,” in the event of that evacuation requires a four-lane reversal.
The plan is expected to be ready for operational use during the current hurricane season, according to Winn.