EMERGENCY INFORMATION
National Hurricane Center Website
Brochures & Plans:
New Hanover County Tsunami Ready Plan
Maps:
Evacuation Zones
CAMA Storm Surge Inundation
Special Flood/Hazard Areas
Transportation Systems
Community Facilities
From the Emergency Manager of Kure Beach
LETTER FROM EMERGENCY RESPONSE COORDINATOR
For Hurricane communications, the Town will record a voicemail on the Town Hall phone line, 910-458-8216, giving you the toll-free number to the New Hanover County Emergency Operations Center (NHC EOC) to call for updates on the storm. The Town will also have personnel at the NHC EOC where the county-wide public information center is located. During emergencies, the center will have access to the latest information concerning hurricane conditions county-wide, including Kure Beach. This will allow you to access up-to-date information.
Thank you,
David W. Heglar, PE
Preparedness
It is imperative that you begin your preparedness activities well in advance of the Hurricane to ensure that you can complete all desired activities with time to evacuate prior to the arrival of high winds.
Make a hurricane kit for your family that will include batteries, radios, flashlights, non-perishable foods, water, toiletry articles, medicines, first aid kit, tape, and rolls of plastic. Have the kit ready and available. Have enough items to be self sufficient for three days.
Make Family Evacuation Plans
If you live in a mobile home, always evacuate. You can go to a shelter or stay with family. Consider buying and pre-cutting plywood for each window that will be covered.
- Create an emergency plan including plans for the sick & elderly for whom you may be responsible
- Monitor all weather advisories
- Secure loose items
- Board windows
- Store water in plastic containers or purchase bottled water
- Turn refrigerator/freezers to coldest setting
- Fuel vehicles
- Stock up on non-perishable food items
- Purchase a battery powered radio, flashlight & plenty of extra batteries
- Locate insurance and other important papers. Place them in a safe place or prepare to take them with you
- Make arrangements for pets
- Notify relatives or friends of your shelter or evacuation location
- Review stock of medications
- Conduct banking and acquire cash (ATM machines may not function after a storm)
- Remove boats from water
- Monitor weather advisories constantly
- Create your plan prior to the event and stick with your plan
Evacuation
If an evacuation is recommended by emergency management officials, information will be released by radio and television stations. The media will announce the areas affected by the evacuation including shelter locations, evacuation routes and preparedness tips. Evacuation orders are issued by the town in concert with the New Hanover County Emergency Management. Kure Beach Police and Fire Departments will use loud speakers and go door-to-door to announce the evacuation order in designated areas. Road blocks will prevent re-entry into these areas until authorized by public officials.
Listen to weather reports and storm information utilizing the following media:
- TV Channel 3 WWAY (Cable 4)
- TV Channel 6 WECT (Cable 6)
- The Weather Channel (Cable 19)
- TV Channel 26 WJKA
- Radio FM 97.3 WMNX, Radio FM 102.7 WGNI, Radio AM 630 WMFD, Radio AM 980 WAAV
Terminology:
Tropical Storm Warning – When winds of 39-54 miles per hour are expected.
Hurricane Watch – When there is a threat of hurricane conditions within 24-36 hours.
Hurricane Warning – When a strike is expected within 24 hours; anticipated winds exceeding 74 miles per hour, high waves and high tides.
Shelters
Shelters will be opened prior to the arrival of a hurricane. If you need to go to a public shelter, you should bring the following items.
- Non-perishable food supplies
- Special dietary needs
- Hand operated can opener
- Sheets, blankets, pillows, sleeping bags, etc.
- Clothing - 2 or more changes
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- Water
- Paper plates, cups, utensils
- Roll of paper towels
- Box of tissue
- Medications
- Toiletry articles
- Sanitary needs
- Baby food and formula
- Diapers (if needed)
- Books or games
The following items are NOT allowed in a shelter
- Pets (except for guide dogs)
- Alcohol
- Firearms
Shelter Locations
- Codington Elementary School, 4321 Carolina Beach Road
- Eaton Elementary School, 6701 Gordon Road
- Emma B. Trask Middle School, 2900 N. College Road
- Dorothy B. Johnson Elem. School, 1100 McRae Street
- Noble Middle School, 6520 Market Street
NOTE: Shelters will not be opened simultaneously. Public announcements regarding shelter openings will be made by the Emergency Public Information Center in coordination with the Emergency Operations Center and the American Red Cross.
If You Stay
If you decide to ignore the evacuation and stay in your home or with someone else in Kure Beach during the Hurricane event, please be aware that Emergency Services will not be able to help you in an emergency during the height of the storm. Emergency Services include Medical (rescue/paramedics), the Fire Department and the Police Department. At some point prior to hurricane landfall, all personnel will be called in and made safe.
During a Hurricane or other severe storm event the following Town facilities will be affected:
- Water mains are turned off
- Sanitary Pump Stations are secured
- Electricity is turned off
- Road Blocks are established
- Curfew is strictly enforced
During the Hurricane
If you are unable to evacuate before the hurricane hits, STAY INDOORS. Do not be fooled by the eye of the hurricane and its temporary period of peaceful weather conditions. The duration of time within the eye varies from several minutes to a couple of hours, depending on the severity of the storm. The larger and more intense the hurricane, the bigger its eye. When the eye of the hurricane has passed, the winds will return from the opposite direction. Remember to stay away from windows and glass doors. The high winds associated with hurricanes can turn a small piece of debris into a missile able to seriously injure you.
After the Hurricane
After the storm has passed, the re-entry procedures will begin. Don’t become agitated if you are not allowed back to your home as soon as the storm is over. Only after the entire area has been declared safe will residents be allowed to return home. Re-entry instructions will be communicated to the public through radio, television and law enforcement officials.
Re-entry documentation: In order to return to your property when access to the town is restored, it is critical that your vehicle display a current Kure Beach Vehicle Decal. By Town ordinance these are required for all residents of the town. For non-resident property owners, proof of ownership and valid picture identification are required when purchasing one from Town Hall. See the “Customer Service” – “Resident” area of our website for further details on purchasing your Kure Beach Vehicle Decal.
When you return to your residence or venture outside after the storm, beware of the following things:
- Look for obvious structural damage to your home.
- Watch out for loose or dangling electrical power lines and broken sewer or water pipes. If you see any, notify local officials immediately.
- Make sure all electrical outlets and appliances are dry and free of water before turning your electrical power back on.
- Do not drink water from the faucet until local officials notify you that it is safe from contamination. Use your emergency supply or boil tap water before drinking.
- Without electricity to keep refrigerators running, food will spoil in only a few hours. Do not refreeze food once it begins to thaw.
- Snakes, animals and insects instinctively travel inland to escape approaching flood waters. Be on the lookout for them and be prepared to protect yourself.
Clean-up and Recovery
Emergency and damage assessment officials will make the first survey of land areas affected by the hurricane to identify priority areas for clean up. A financial loss evaluation will determine the need for a disaster declaration. When local government is unable to financially recover from the destruction caused by a hurricane, state and/or federal government officials will request an “official” declaration. In response to an “official” disaster declaration, additional state and federal agencies will come to the aid of local government. Hurricane damage documentation is essential to qualify for the maximum amount of assistance in clean up and recovery operations. Initial statements of financial loss may not indicate the need for an “official” disaster declaration, however, if subsequent reports warrant a declaration, detailed records will be invaluable.
- Clean-up and recovery operations will begin in the following priority
- Search and rescue for disaster victims
- Clear roadways used by emergency vehicles. Ensure the integrity of the water systems
- Restore sewer systems operations
- Restore communications
- Restore power
- Remove debris
- All clean-up and recovery activities will be coordinated with other assisting agencies and utility companies