Hurricane Preparation

(From WBOC)

Worcester County Emergency Services Urge Citizens to Prep for Hurricane Florence

Posted: Sep 10, 2018 6:05 PM -04:00Updated: Sep 10, 2018 6:08 PM EDT
WORCESTER COUNTY, Md. - Worcester County Emergency Service (WCES) is urging people in the area to start preparing now for Hurricane Florence.

The hurricane is strengthening as it moves towards the U.S. and is expected to bring heavy to Delmarva from Thursday into Saturday.

WCES asks locals to visit their website to learn their evacuation plan in case of an emergency. Director Fred Webster says the website has a new mapping program that includes evacuation orders and zones.

“Worcester County is mapped into three evacuation zones, from greatest to least risk of threat from wind speed, storm intensity, and storm surge, which causes flooding,” Webster said. “Zone A, in pink identifies addresses most at risk. Zone B is orange, and Zone C is green and includes addresses least at risk. Addresses further inland that are not color coded are not expected to evacuate in any storm scenario.”

WCES says that those who live in low-lying, flood prone areas or mobile homes should prepare now for the possibility of an evacuation, due to the current weather forecast. 

You can view your evacuation zone at www.knowyourzonemd.com, enter your address to prepare yourself for this week's potential weather emergencies. 

Irene Predicted For Late Saturday

5:00 AM Wednesday

Dangerous Hurricane Irene continues to move through the Bahamas early this morning. The projections have now inched eastward and as of now, Irene is expected to pass just off the coast late Saturday. That's still 3 days off and the the forecast will likely change although the computer models should start to come together as we get within three days out and where Irene will actually go as it passes by the Eastern Shore should begin to clarify as we move through the next 24 hours or so.

Right now, the computer models have the center of Irene passing just East of us late Saturday or early Sunday and hitting New England full force late Sunday or early Monday. Please be aware that the Weather Channel and other major networks will focus a lot of their time on the effects the storm will have in places like New York and Boston because of the large population in those areas.

As of 5:00 this morning Irene has intensified and winds around the center are 110 mph and the pressure is at 962mb.

It will depend entirely on how far offshore Irene passes as to how it affects us. If it moves within 100 miles of us, expect a lot of rain, wind, power outages and tidal flooding especially on the bayside of the Shore as winds will shift hard to the west as the storm passes by and will result in tidal flooding in the usual places along our bayside creeks. If Irene passes further off the coast the effects here will be minimal.

Hurricanes Donna in 1961 and Floyd in 1999 are two benchmark hurricanes of comparable size and strength that passed East of here but caused considerable damage.

For more information go to Hurricane Preparedness Guide: http://www.shoredailynews.com/hurricane.html

Source; shoredailynews.com

Advanced Delivery Of Social Security Checks

The Social Security Administration has authorized the advance delivery of checks in the areas threatened by Hurricane Earl.

The goal of early delivery is to ensure beneficiaries receive the checks before Friday when the storm’s worst affec...ts are expected to begin.

SSA will raise the limit on Third-Party Draft payments to facilitate immediate payment processing, where necessary.

Social Security checks will be delivered early to locations along the Atlantic seaboard in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York.

Early check delivery begins today and the remaining checks will be delivered on Thursday, September 2.

www.wtkr.com

Hurricane Earl May Effect The Shore

The East Coast is casting an eye toward Hurricane Earl.

The category 4 hurricane is expected to have some effect on our weather late Thursday or early Friday.

Earl should weaken to a strong category 2 storm as it reaches these latitudes. Weather forecasters currently think Earl will pass a couple of hundred miles off the coast but the development of a high pressure system out in the Atlantic and whether a trough in the mid west will make it here before Earl arrives will determine whether Earl will move off without affecting our weather dramatically, or move closer and brush us with tropical storm winds, rain and wind. At the very least, Earl promises to disrupt seaside activities bringing in high tides, heavy surf and strong rip currents into the weekend.

Eastern Shore residents should have plans finalized in case evacuation of low lying areas and mobile homes is recommended by the Dept. of Emergency Services. Preparations to secure or remove smaller boats from the water should be ready in case a Hurricane or Tropical Storm watch is issued for this area.

Plans should be made to evacuate to higher ground if necessary or to a more substantial structure if you live in a mobile home.

You should make arrangements for your own safety and that of your pets.

Everyone should be putting together an emergency kit which should include some canned food or packaged food that doesnt require refrigeration, three gallons of fresh water per person, a radio and flashlights with spare batteries, a several day supply of any medication you might need, some cash important papers including insurance cards and other papers you might need and pet food if necessary.

You should be prepared in case electric service is interrupted for an extended period.

www.shoredailynews.com

Hurricane Preparedness Program Is Offered

Maybe it's not too late to register!

Preparing for an impending hurricane or other disaster is hard enough. But when you¡re caring for someone who is seriously ill, disaster preparation is even more difficult. The Caregiver Coalition, a partnership between Hospice and Palliative Care of the Eastern Shore, Eastern Shore Area Agency on Aging and Community Action Agency, Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital, ESCC, and the Alzheimer¡s Association of Southeastern Virginia are pleased to present this workshop:


Hope Is Not a Plan!
Tips for Caregivers on Preparing for the Hurricane Season

Monday, June 28, 2010, 12:00 pm ¡V 3:30 pm, Onancock Hospice Building, 165 Market St, Suite 3

Be sure to attend this informative workshop and learn about:

Making a Family Disaster Plan
Checklists and Supply Kits
Documents that Should Be Protected
Having a Place to Go
Special Preparations for Yourself and Your loved Ones
Post-disaster Scams
Facing a Hurricane, Experiences of a Katrina Victim
Post-Hurricane/Disaster ¡V How to Handle the Losses

There is no cost to attend; lunch and materials are provided. Transportation can also be arranged with advanced notice. This workshop is open to everyone in the community, but pre-registration is required. To register, call Brandon at 757-787-3310 x113.

NOAA Predictions For Storms This Season

The upcoming Atlantic hurricane season will have between 14 to 23 tropical storms, including up to seven major hurricanes, the U.S. government predicted Thursday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted that eight to 14 hurricanes would form. Scientists forecast that three to seven of those hurricanes would be major storms that reach Category 3 or higher -- meaning they bring sustained winds of at least 111 mph.

"If this outlook holds true, this season could be one of the more active on record," NOAA administrator Jane Lubchenco said in a statement. "The greater likelihood of storms brings an increased risk of a landfall. In short, we urge everyone to be prepared."

The forecast is based on the weakening of El Nino. The Pacific Ocean phenomenon creates strong wind shear that weakens Atlantic storms.

No hurricanes hit the United States last year. Hurricane Ida hit Nicaragua as a Category 1 storm last November.

The Atlantic hurricane season begins Tuesday and runs through Nov. 30.

www.shoredailynews.com

Don't Forget To Buy Your Tax Free Hurricane Items

HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) - Forecasters are expecting the Atlantic Hurricane season to be busier than normal, as the 2010 season approaches and a low pressure cell off the coast has caught the attention of Super Doppler 10 meteorologists.

It's not supposed to bother us, but it's nature's way of reminding everybody of the season to come.

A low pressure cell lingering off the Virginia and Carolina coasts has already generated rough surf along the beaches. Forecasters do not expect any real trouble from this one, but they continue to monitor its movement.

But preparing for an approaching storm or hurricane involves a lot more than just keeping an eye on the weather.

"Every family should have an emergency preparedness kit," said Wayne Lousteau, a manager at Home Depot.

Lousteau says there are a number of relatively inexpensive items you should have to meet basic necessities when riding out a storm.

"You want to make sure that you have light available to you, that you have water and food available to you and that you have a source of information," he said.

It's information that could save your life.

"What I'm holding...is a radio that will always have access to the NOAA Weather Radio Stations and can be provided power via two methods," Lousteau said.

Standard batteries, or the hand crank, generates electricity for the radio. Lousteau also says you should make sure you have plenty of batteries on hand, ranging from Double-A to D-cell, depending on your power requirements.

From now through the end of the month, most of these items are exempt from sales tax, which means buy now and save money. Of course your Hurricane kit should include more than just basic necessities. There are certain things you absolutely must have.

"Your critical medical needs in terms of do you have your medications," said Mark Marchbank, deputy coordinator Emergency Management of Virginia Beach.

Marchbank says to have your emergency kit ready throughout the year for any kind of natural or man-made disaster.

www.wavy.com

Please take time to prepare for the bad weather this season and take advantage of the tax free items.

Virginia Tax Holiday For Hurricane Preparedness

HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS SALES TAX HOLIDAY For 2010
May 25 - 31


With the hurricane season upon us the Commonwealth of Virginia has announced their annual sales tax holiday for purchasing hurricane and emergency preparedness equipment. During this week you can stock up on supplies that will be needed during the hurricane and flooding season. It's also a good time to add to you family first aid kit.

Many of these items are less than $60.00. Please take advantage of this sales tax holiday so that you and your family will be prepared. We have been so very fortunate in the past years but let's not let our guard down. Be prepared and don't wait until the last minute!

• Artificial ice, blue ice, ice packs, reusable ice
• Batteries, excluding car or boat batteries
• Battery-powered light sources, including flashlights and lanterns
• First aid kits
• Cell phone chargers
• Weather Band radios and NOAA Weather Radios
• Battery-powered or hand-crank radios, including radio with electrical power option
• Bottled water of any size, including flavored, carbonated and vitamin water
• Two-way radios
• Manual can openers
• Tarps, plastic sheeting, plastic drop cloths
• Bungee cords and rope
• Ground anchor systems or tie down kits
• Ratchet straps
• Duct tape
• Carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, fire extinguishers
• Empty gas, propane or diesel fuel tanks or containers
• Water storage containers such as buckets, barrels, canteens, coolers
• Storm shutter devices made for the prevention of storm damage (not plywood)

Shop for items on this list that have a sales price of $1,000 or less:

• Portable generators and generator power cords
• Inverters and inverter power cables.

Participating retail outlets will have information about the upcoming Virginia tax holiday.

For more information, go to www.tax.virginia.gov/salestaxholiday.

For information about getting ready for hurricane and flooding season in Virginia, visit http://www.readyvirginia.gov/.