Officials: Major change in SC since Sept. 11, 2001

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — In the days following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, South Carolina Army National Guard troops rushed to stand sentry at state airports, Air Force F-16s scrambled on round-the-clock air patrols and emergency responders quickly realized they could barely communicate with each other.

Since then, the Department of Homeland Security has poured about $216 million into South Carolina to construct its emergency communication systems, establish 46 county disaster response centers and outfit police, fire and emergency responders with anti-terrorism plans and protective gear.

Law enforcement and security experts say that instead of guarding airports, South Carolina’s military forces have deployed to the front lines of Iraq and Afghanistan. And on the home front the state has bolstered its anti-terrorism defenses.