THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 16, 1995 TAG: 9508160480
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
LENGTH: Medium: 99 lines
Dare County officials suggest that the following actions be taken when a hurricane approaches:
BEFORE THE STORM
Make an evacuation plan with your family, deciding which route to take off the Outer Banks, what vehicles you will use to leave 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 case of an evacuation. Make plans to stay with friends or relatives, if possible, because emergency shelters will be set up only west of I-95 - a minimum three-hour drive from the Outer Banks.
If you are a property owner, make sure 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.
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 from lifting off 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 wood or 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 first. Hurricane evacuation kits should include:
First aid kit
At least a two-week supply of medicine
A three-day supply of dry or canned food
Bottled water
Clothes for at least three days
Blankets or sleeping bags
Lightweight folding chairs or cots
Infant or 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 YOU EVACUATE
Shut off your electricity, gas and water.
Fill your automobile with gasoline.
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 upstairs.
Fill bathtubs and containers with water, as wells or county water may be contaminated when you return. Bathtubs, sinks and containers can be sanitized first by rinsing them with bleach.
Turn refrigerators to maximum cold and don't open unless necessary.
Move any automobiles that will not be used to evacuate 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 infrastructure is 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 you enter your home; explosive gases may be trapped inside the building. 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 expenses made to repair damage.
If your car has been damaged in a flood, do not attempt to start or operate until it is thoroughly dried out.
Raise carpets to let air circulate.
KEYWORDS: HURRICANE FELIX by CNB