The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office’s Aviation Unit was established in 2014.

It consists of two OH-58 Bell helicopters acquired through the 1033 federal surplus program.

The Aviation Unit gives deputies an aerial vantage point for a variety of law enforcement operations, such as manhunts for fugitives; missing adults and children; missing boaters; as well as for parades and community rallies.

The Aviation Unit is available 24/7 to respond to incidents and assist law enforcement agencies within Beaufort County and, through mutual aid agreement, throughout South Carolina.

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center is responsible for taking emergency 9-1-1 and non-emergency calls and dispatch for all law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services in Beaufort County with the exception of dispatch services for Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue.

The Sheriff’s Office’s highly trained dispatchers obtain the necessary information from callers to ready first-responders to effectively respond to emergencies. One of the more critical roles of dispatchers is guiding 9-1-1 callers through proper life-saving CPR/resuscitation procedures.

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Hazardous Materials Coordinator manages a database of local business for compliance with Beaufort County’s Hazardous Materials Ordinance.

The ordinance requires businesses that store, handle or dispense specified Hazardous Materials to register those materials with the county.

The Hazardous Materials Coordinator also coordinates training for Beaufort County’s two Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Teams — one north of the Broad River and the other south. The teams include firefighters with specialized training to deal with hazardous materials.

To learn more about Hazardous Materials registration requirements, please click HERE.

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office uses the incident command system to coordinate and manage intra- and inter-agency operations during public safety incidents.

In these incidents, establishment of an incident or centralized command ensures personnel, equipment and supplies are deployed efficiently and effectively and that essential information is disseminated to all personnel involved in its resolution.

The Sheriff’s Office uses specialized vehicles and equipment to support its incident command role.

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Management monitors Beaufort County’s roads for traffic hazards, motor vehicle accidents and, in the event of an issue, notifies the public through the Everbridge advisory system and Twitter.

Traffic Management oversees and maintains traffic cameras, digital message boards and highway advisory radio. In addition, personnel respond and provide equipment, such as cones and barriers, during traffic accidents and other incidents that create potentially hazardous road conditions.