North Charleston responds to population boom, names city Emergency Director

NORTH CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - Butch Barfield is a self-proclaimed conductor.

A long time member of the police force, Barfield has now assumed the responsibility of Emergency Management Director, a role created in the city of North Charleston within the last 15 months.

"As long as the music is coming off the sheet and everybody's reading off the same sheet, and we're working together, it's a beautiful piece," he said.

A spokesman from the North Charleston Mayor's office said Barfield will coordinate all city departments in the event of a disaster of any kind.

The city falls under the Emergency Management of Charleston County, but added a director of its own to respond to a growing population.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, North Charleston has seen a population boom of over 20,000 people in less than 15 years.  The last Census estimate in 2012 tallied over 100,000, with a spike over 4.4% since 2010.

"We want to be good stewards to the county, we want the county to be good stewards to the city and that we work closely together," Barfield said.

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