Car Lockout in Charleston, SC

Garages, store lots and peninsula streets

Where a car is locked shapes what a request needs to say. The city's parking information lists city garages, among them:

• the Majestic, 211 King Street
• Marion Square, 399 King Street
• Midtown, 558 King Street
• the Charleston Tech Center garage, 4 Conroy Street

Inside a garage, a street address is not enough. Give the garage, the level and the nearest stairwell or elevator. In West Ashley, where big-box stores settled on large lots along Sam Rittenberg Boulevard, name the store and the side of the building you parked on. On a peninsula street, give the block and the nearest cross street.

Flooding, wind and a car you can't open

NOAA says tidal floods at Charleston can overwhelm storm drains as well as close roads. If water is rising around a car you are locked out of, step away and get to higher ground rather than wading back to it. When flooding or high winds are probable, the city may open certain garages to city residents during set times. If you were locked out while moving a car into one before a storm, say so.

Heat and anyone inside

A closed car heats up whether it sits on a garage level or in an open store lot, and the heat can turn dangerous in a short time. If a child, a pet or anyone who can't get out alone is locked inside, call 911 first. Don't wait for a locksmith.

What to send

• the exact spot: garage, level and nearest landmark; store and lot side; or block and cross street
• make, model and year
• where the keys are: on the seat, in the trunk, or lost
• whether water is collecting near the car

If the keys are gone rather than locked inside, you may need car key replacement as well. The car lockout page explains the service; the Charleston page has more on the city.