Damaging winds. Hail. Heavy downpours. Tornadoes. Frequent lightning.

For many residents of Orangeburg County, spring often arrives with a certain trepidation and fear as Mother Nature awakens from her winter slumber.

Fear can heighten into distress when one turns on a weather radio and is greeted by the sound of static. Fiddling with the dial only results in more static.

Beyond this sound and your own grunts of displeasure, the howl of wind begins to rattle the windows, a clap of thunder rocks your home and the lightning is so bright the need for artificial lighting is unnecessary.

Such has been the story for the Orangeburg County weather radio owner.

Until now.

Through a $300,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Orangeburg County has received its own $60,000, 300-watt weather transmitter allowing residents within a 50-mile radius to receive clear up-to-second reports on conditions.

Located behind the Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College campus, the transmitter will be owned and maintained by the National Weather Service.

By tuning to 162.525 MHz, John Smith, Orangeburg County Director of Emergency Services, said individuals will receive a clear signal on all weather-related updates.

"This will make the weather radio work all over the county," Smith said. "We have been waiting on this for quite some time. We are sure delighted to have it now."

Orangeburg is one of five areas to benefit from grants. Others are Barnwell, Greenwood, Rock Hill and Cheraw. Weather officials estimate that 90 percent of the state is covered by a weather transmitter.

Realizing the need to obtain a local transmitter, county officials began to examine the possibility of acquiring one a couple of years ago.

In years past, most Orangeburg County warnings were issued only on the Columbia transmitter, and hurricane warnings were issued only on the Charleston transmitter. This changed after Hurricane Hugo in 1989.

"This is a big step that provides an opportunity for our citizens to get fast warnings and get good coverage throughout the county," Smith said.

Smith also reminds all public schools throughout the county which received weather radios four years ago to note the new transmitter.

Beyond the provision of weather reports, the system will also enable the OCES to utilize the transmitter for the transmission of civil emergencies such as chemical spills and evacuation orders.

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