A6 I JUNE 7,2017
Continued
BERTIE LEDGER-ADVANCE'
The fabric of Bertie County since 1832
Begins—
From A1
does from these storms can
threaten even areas away
from the coastline.
Two of the most important
factors are to prepare for
the risks and act on those
preparations when alerted
by emergency officials.
Here are some basic tips
to be prepared in case of a
tropical storm or hurricane;
* Gather information- know
if the area is an evacuation
area. Assess the risks and
know the property’s vulner
ability to storm surge, flood
ing and wind.
Understand the National
Weather Service’s (NWS)
products, including mean
ings of the NWS watches and
warnings.
* Contact information- keep
a list of contact information
for reference including:
* Emergency management
offices,
* County law enforcement,
* County Public Safety
Fire/Rescue,
* State, County and City/
Town Government,
* Local Hospitals,
* Local Utilities,
* Local American Red
Cross,
* Local TV Stations,
* Local Radio Stations,
and
* Your Property Insurance
Agent
*Know the risk analysis
for the local area. Online
hazard and vulnerability as
There are a variety of dangers with hurricanes, including flooding.
sessment tools are available
to gather information about
risks. Check hazard risks
with FEMA’s map portal sys
tem found at www.floods-
mart.gov portal.
*Plan and take action.
Everyone needs to be pre
pared for the unexpected.
Families and friends may not
be together when disaster
strikes.
*Put together a basic di
saster supply kit and con
sider storage locations for
different situations. Help
community members do the
same.
A basic disaster supply kit
should include the following
recommended items:
Water, one gallon of wa
ter per person per day for at
least three days, for drinking
and sanitation,
* Food, at least a three-day
supply of non-perishable
food,
* Battery-powered or
hand-cranked radio and a
National Oceanic and At
mospheric Administration
(NOAA) Weather Radio with
tone alert and extra batter
ies for both,
* Flashlight and extra bat
teries,
* First aid kit,
* Whistle to signal for
help,
* Dust mask to help filter
contaminated air, and plas
tic sheeting and duct tape to
provide shelter in place.
* Moist towelettes, gar
bage bags and plastic ties
for personal sanitation,
* Wrench or pliers to turn
off utilities,
* Manual can opener for
food,
* Local maps, and
* Cell phone with chargers,
inverter or solar charger.
*Develop and document
plans for the specific risks in
the area. Have a family emer
gency plan ready for protec
tion. Be sure to plan for lo
cations away from the home
as well. Prepare boats, and
be aware of marine safety if
near or on the water.
*Follow guidelines to guard
the community’s health and
protect the environment
during and after the storm:
* Review the Center for Dis
ease Control’s (CDC) Health
Considerations Before, Dur
ing and After a Storm
* Remember to follow the
U.S. Food & Drug Adminis
tration’s (FDA) food and wa
ter safety regulations during
a storm
* Review the Environ
mental Protection Agency’s
(EPA) suggestions for health
and environmental safety in
disaster preparedness
* Review the FEMA evacu
ation guidelines to allow for
enough time to pack and in
form friends and family if the
need requires leaving home.
Follow instructions issued
by local officials. Leave im
mediately if ordered. Con
sider personal protection
options to decide whether to
stay or evacuate the home if
not ordered to evacuate.
When waiting out a storm
be careful, the danger may
not be over yet....
Be alert for:
* Tornadoes - they are of
ten spawned by hurricanes.
* The calm “eye” of the
storm - it may seem like the
storm is over, but after the
eye passes, the winds will
change direction and quickly
return to hurricane force.
Wait until an area is de
clared safe before returning
home. Remember that re
covering from a disaster is
usually a gradual process.
NOAA’s Climate Prediction
Center says the 2017 Atlan
tic hurricane season, which
runs from June 1 through
November 30, will most like
ly be more active than nor
mal.
For the upcoming Atlan
tic hurricane season, fore
casters predict a 45 percent
chance of an above-normal
season, a 35 percent chance
of a near-normal season and
only 20 percent of a below-
normal season.
Forecasters predict a 70
percent likelihood of 11 to 17
named storms, of which five
to nine could become hurri
canes, including two to four
major hurricanes.
An average season pro
duces 12 named storms of
which six become hurri
canes, including three major
hurricanes.
Cautious
From A1
thinking about being
more prepared,” Sher
iff Hollep”said. “Having
said that, it is always
vital for our citizens to
prepare.”
Sheriff Holley said it
is important for adults
to take the opportunity
to teach children how
to call 9-1-1.
“Obviously, we hope
there is never a situa
tion when an adult is
injured during a storm
and a child has to call
911, but it’s important
they know how just in
case,” he said. “Teach
ing the children now
will help them if they
are ever in that situa
tion.”
Chief Lane said a
good practice would
also be to have an out-
of-state resident or
friend on standby as a
family contact.
“After a disaster,
there are times when
it is much easier to call
long distance, because
they are not dealing
with the same storm,”
he said. “Make sure
everyone in the family
knows the name, ad
dress and phone num
ber of the contact per
son.”
Chief Farmer cau
tioned residents to lis
ten to instructions from
emergency personnel
and law enforcement.
“If there is an occa
sion where an evacua
tion is ordered, leave
as soon as possible,”
he said. “Avoid flooded
roads and watch for
washed-out bridges.
The law enforcement
community in Bertie
County will be doing
ever34:hing possible to
help guide citizens to
safety if such an inci
dent occurs.”
Chief Farmer said
it would also be im-
portemt to let the fam
ily contact know where
the family was going.
“Take the emergen
cy supplies you have
gathered with you,” he
added.
Sheriff Holley said
during a storm it was
important to listen to a
battery-operated radio
or television for official
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instruction.
“If you stay in your
home, stay inside and
away from windows,
skylights and glass
doors,” he said. “If you
are in a pre-manufac-
tured or mobile home,
it is probably wise to
head to the shelter be
fore the storm makes
landfall.”
He also reminded
parents to make sure
they kept their children
close by in case of an
emergency situation.
“Parents should keep
their children at least
in sight, if not arm’s
reach, during a storm,”
Sheriff Holley said. “It
is important that if an
emergency evacuation
of the home occurs,
parents have instant ac
cess to their children.”
Perr5down Fire Chief
Bud Lee reminded peo
ple to turn off all major
appliances if electric
ity is lost during the
storm.
“If the appliances are
off, it will reduce the
power surge when elec
tricity is restored,” he
said.
Chief Lane said it
is also important for
those who have to
move around after a
storm to follow marked
detours.
“If a road is biocked
off, there is a reason for
it,” he said. “It will mean
there is some type
of unsafe condition
ahead, be that flooding
or a tree down or some
thing else. Please heed
the signs and follow the
detour.”
Chief Farmer reiter
ated the importance of
not driving at all, unless
it was necessary.
“We know everyone
wants to get out and
survey the damage to
their own property or
to that of their friends
and neighbors,” he
said. “It is important
that after a storm peo
ple stay off the roads
and allow those who
need to work to do so.
“There will be emer
gency crews, police of
ficers, transportation
workers, electricity
workers and others out
trying to restore order,”
he said. “The more they
are allowed to work un
disturbed, the quicker
life can return to nor
mal.”
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