Officials meeting with local groups

Officials from the U.S. Census Bureau were looking for a little help Monday night.

It’s the Census Bureau’s job to count everyone in the United States and it’s a process most people should be familiar with, since it occurs every 10 years.

But Census officials who appeared before the Cherokee County Fire Chiefs Association on Monday said not everyone is willing to participate for various reasons, from distrust to fear.

That’s why they’re turning to community groups and organizations like the Fire Chiefs Association to help spread the word that the upcoming 2010 Census is not only legitimate but extremely important.

Census data is used for all sorts of purposes, from drawing political boundaries like Congressional districts to allocating federal and state money. The results will not only show where people live and how the population has changed, but also where resources can best be used.

“It’s very important (information) for South Carolina,” said William Whitney, the U.S. Census Bureau partnership specialist for the Upstate.

Despite the usefulness of the data, Whitney said the 10- year process typically has problems getting cooperation from the burgeoning Hispanic population, as well as people who may not want to be found by court systems, and, amazingly, people who live in gated communities.

Answering questions posed by members of the Fire Chiefs Association, Whitney said the Census Bureau does not share personally identifying information with any other agency and that such information is kept sealed for 72 years. An illegal immigrant, therefore, wouldn’t have to worry the Census Bureau would report them.

Though the count doesn’t begin until next April, Whitney said, “We’re just out now trying to get in front of as many people as possible.”

The first Census was done in 1790 by horseback and showed about 300,000 residents. It’s estimated that 307 million people now live in the United States.