THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 12, 1995 TAG: 9508120116
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: Long : 200 lines
The Dare County emergency management coordinator doesn't mince words when he talks about the dangers of hurricanes.
``There's been a lot of publicity about Hiroshima and Nagasaki,'' said Sandy Sanderson. ``Any hurricane Category Three and higher has the same destructive power as those bombs. Imagine if I were to tell you the Enola Gay was going to fly over and drop a bomb on you, what would you do? These are the forces we're talking about.''
With Hurricane Felix roaming the Atlantic Ocean on Friday, Dare County officials were spreading the word to residents and visitors about what to do when a big blow hits.
``As soon as a storm appears, red flags automatically go up for us,'' said Charles Hartig, Dare County's public information officer. ``At that point we start watching the storm closely, and getting in touch with emergency personnel.''
In Dare County, key government officials and emergency personnel form what is known as a the Dare County Control Group. With the help of the National Hurricane Center in Miami, the group monitors storms, determines what to do and decides whether to order evacuation when the storm nears the Carolina coast.
Plans were worked out earlier, and the actions the control group takes depend on the path of the storm.
``We don't want to alarm the public,'' Hartig said. ``We don't want to scare them. But we want to give them the best information possible so that they can do what is best.''
One problem that officials sometimes face is that many Outer Banks residents do not take the potential danger seriously.
``People will say, `We had a hurricane in 1993 and we had one in 1985, so we're not going to have one this year.' The fact is, it has happened here before and it will happen again,'' Hartig said.
Sanderson pointed out that despite advances in technology, forecasters' ability to monitor storms has not matched the pace of coastal development.
With that in mind, he said, families should have a plan for hurricanes.
``You need to know what evacuation route you will take, and where you will go in the event the area has to be evacuated.''
Hartig said, ``Anyone who lives in Dare County should have a plan of action. They need to know where their valuable papers are. They need to have adequate water and food. And they need to have a place to go.''
There is no law in North Carolina that requires property owners to evacuate if such orders are issued.However, officials say, any evacuation order should be taken seriously.
``We hope to give them 24 hours,'' Hartig said. ``Our goal is to be able to evacuate during daylight hours and prior to the arrival of tropical storm winds.''
``When the order comes down, in the best interest of your lives and property, leave,'' Sanderson said.
He pointed out that the location of a hurricane given by the National Weather Service is the eye of the storm. The area of danger extends some 100 miles on either side of that location.
Emergency officials also warn that in the event of a severe storm, the nearest shelters will be located west of Interstate 95.
``The inland winds that come with a hurricane can get up to 75 miles an hour,'' said Sanderson.
``Those are pretty strong winds. Shelters have to be out of harm's way.'
If a storm hits but an evacuation is not ordered, residents are urged to keep plenty of bottled water, canned food and other nonperishables; flashlights, batteries, and a battery-operated transistor radio; and materials such as plywood, to protect glass openings.
``The Emergency Operations Center is the official source for information,'' Hartig said. ``We're speaking with one voice. If you don't hear information from the control group, odds are the information is incorrect. Do not pay attention to rumor, innuendo and half-truths.''
Sanderson said communication has been a major area of improvement since Hurricane Emily hammered Hatteras Island.
``With the advent of new technology, the Civil Air patrol and the North Carolina Highway Patrol have aircraft that can monitor evacuation routes,'' Sanderson said. ``If there is a problem, we can make the public aware of it.''
Sanderson said that residents of evacuated areas would not be allowed to return until utilities and roads are repaired.
The advice from the Dare County officials is designed to help people cope with any hurricane, but right now, Felix is the center of attention.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said that since it began tracking hurricanes in 1886, 34 of them have followed the path of Felix within 60 miles. Of those, 22 intensified, 8 weakened and 4 maintained their strength.
However, only 8 of those storms hit the U.S.
But while the odds of a major storm hitting the Carolina coast seem low, Sanderson warned that it is foolish to take chances.
``After all,'' he said, ``it only takes one.'' MEMO: Staff writer Lane DeGregory also contributed to this story.
ILLUSTRATION: DREW C. WILSON/Staff file
As Hurricane Emily threatened the Outer Banks in September 1993,
most residents and tourists heeded the mandatory evacuation order.
EVACUATION ROUTES
STAFF Map
GRAPHIC
EVACUATION KIT
First-aid kit
At least a two-week supply of medicines
Three days' supply of dry or canned food and bottled water
Clothes for at least three days
Blankets or sleeping bags
Lightweight folding chairs or cots
Infant and pet necessities
Insurance papers and contact numbers, other official
documentation
Valid photo identification, birth certificates
Portable radio and cellular telephone, if possible
Fresh batteries
Flashlights
Re-entry permit for vehicle
Manual can opener
Washcloths and towels
Ice chest or cooler
Toiletries
BEFORE THE STORM
Make an evacuation plan with your family. Decide which route to
take off the Outer Banks, what vehicles to use and where you will
stay on the mainland. If you don't own a vehicle, make arrangements
with someone to let you leave with them in the event of an
evacuation. Make plans to stay with friends or relatives, if
possible, because emergency shelters will only be set up west of
I-95 - a minimum three-hour drive from the Outer Banks.
Make sure if you are a property owner that you have a valid 1995
Dare County re-entry permit. This year's stickers are blue and
yellow. If you do not have a permit, call (919)473-3355 and make
arrangements to get one before the storm. No one will be allowed
back onto the Outer Banks after an evacuation unless they have this
permit.
Individuals who are sick or shut in, who are not already on a
list compiled by the Dare County Department of Social Services,
should notify the agency of any special medical or transportation
needs they may have.
Get plywood cut to fit doors and windows inside your house. Keep
hammer, nails, tape and boards on hand to make securing the windows
and doors easier. Wedge sliding glass doors to prevent them lifting
from their tracks.
Photograph or prepare an inventory list of personal valuables,
household furnishings and equipment - with serial numbers - so
losses can be properly reimbursed.
Make arrangements to place your pets somewhere if you do not
intend to bring them with you during an evacuation. Most shelters
and hotels will not accept animals.
Trim dead branches from trees.
Check for loose rain gutters and downspouts.
Gather supplies and important papers into a central spot so that
you can take everything you need with you without having to search
for it first.
BEFORE YOU EVACUATE
Shut off your electricity, gas and water.
Fill your vehicles' gas tanks.
Secure or bring inside all tools, lawn furniture, trash cans,
bicycles, outdoor equipment or anything that could be blown about in
a storm.
Secure your boat or move it out of the water.
Move valuable heirlooms or keepsakes to safe locations.
Fill bathtubs and containers with water, because wells or county
water may be contaminated when you return. Bathtubs, sinks and
containers can be sanitized first by rinsing them with bleach.
Turn refrigerator to maximum cold and don't open them unless
necessary.
Move any unused automobiles to high ground.
WHEN YOU RETURN
Listen to the radio or buy a local newspaper to determine when
residents and property owners are allowed to return to the Outer
Banks. Dare County's Emergency Management Group will decide when
people can return and broadcast the information on all local radio
stations.
Be patient. Officials will not allow people to return until most
infrastructures are in place and roads are clear.
Report broken or damaged water, sewer and electrical lines.
Check for gas leaks, electrical shorts or live wires.
If you have a well, check water for contamination.
Check refrigerated food for spoilage.
Before entering any building, check for structural damage, loose
boards and snakes.
Do not use an open flame or smoke cigarettes when entering a
building, because explosive gasses may be trapped inside. Use a
battery-operated flashlight.
Photograph damage to building and contents.
Contact insurance officials.
Shovel out mud and debris. Scrub all woodwork with a stiff brush.
Wash walls from bottom up.
Do not make permanent repairs until an insurance adjuster has
been consulted.
Keep all receipts for repair expenses.
If your car has been damaged in a flood, do not attempt to start
or operate it until it is thoroughly dried out.
Raise carpets to allow air to circulate.
by CNB