Brunswick County residents, vacationers encouraged to prepare now for Isaias

MEDIA RELEASE

BOLIVIA, N.C. – As Brunswick County Emergency Services continues to monitor the path of Hurricane Isaias, both residents and visitors to Brunswick County’s local beaches and towns are urged to start planning ahead now for the storm.

Based on the most current forecasting data from the NWS-Wilmington, Isaias is likely to impact southeastern North Carolina this Monday evening into Tuesday morning, though it is still too early to determine its impact. Visitors scheduled to come to Brunswick County this weekend or next week should monitor the storm’s progress, reach out to their rental agency and check the website and communications channels for the municipality they plan to visit before finalizing their travel plans.

“Our main concern is for everyone’s safety and well-being, so we ask that people start planning ahead now on where they could go in the event of an evacuation that is not a shelter,” Emergency Services Director Ed Conrow said. “Regardless of what category a hurricane is or what wind speeds it is projecting, hurricanes can cause significant damage in other ways like storm surge and flooding, so we all need to keep our guard up as we head into the next week.”

Brunswick County and its municipal partners are continuing to monitor the storm and recommend both residents and visitors take these steps now to prepare for the potential impacts of Hurricane Isaias.

Finalize Your Hurricane Plan

Now is the time to go over your hurricane preparation checklist and ensure that your disaster supply kit is ready in the event of a hurricane or disaster in our area. See a list of recommended items here.

To assist in being prepared before, during, and after a storm, review the following links for helpful information.

Emergency Services Hurricane Preparedness
NC Department of Public Safety: 2020 Hurricane Guide (PDF)
NC Department of Public Safety: 2020 Guia Sobre Hurricanes (PDF)
From FEMA: How to Prepare for a Hurricane (PDF)
Ready.gov: Hurricanes

Know What to Do If You Have to Evacuate

Social distancing will reduce the capacity at shelters this year due to concerns about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Shelters should be only considered as a last resort.

Brunswick County recommends that individuals find alternative, safer locations to shelter such as with family, friends, or a more inland location away from this area in the event of a hurricane. Individuals should not shelter at home when an evacuation order is issued for their municipality or the county.

Additionally, Brunswick County has new primary shelter locations in the event of a hurricane. Find your closest shelters and learn more about what to expect and what rules are in place at public shelters at https://www.brunswickcountync.gov/shelters/

In the event of a necessary evacuation, local officials will use North Carolina’s Know Your Zone tiered evacuation system to determine which areas should be evacuated. Evacuation zones highlight areas most at risk to storm surge and flooding. While all zones won’t be evacuated in every event, emergency managers will work with local media and use other outreach tools to notify residents and visitors of impacted zones and evacuation instructions. Find your zone at knowyourzone.nc.gov

Stay Informed

During emergency situations, it is important to make sure you are getting the most up-to-date and verified information from the right sources. Here is how you can stay connected with emergency updates and alerts from Brunswick County.

Sign up for the Access & Functional/Special Medical Needs Registry
Sign up for Public Safety alerts on your cell phone, home phone, unlisted number or other mobile device (CodeRED alerts)
Sign up for emails on Emergency Updates at http://brunswickcountync.gov/info/email/
Find the latest county news and information concerning Emergency Services at http://brunswickcountync.gov/news
Follow the County on Facebook, Twitter, and Nextdoor: https://www.brunswickcountync.gov/info/social/

Follow the National Weather Service-Wilmington updates online or on social media:

Find the latest updates on hurricane response and more information about preparing for hurricanes at https://www.brunswickcountync.gov/hurricanes/

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For media inquiries, contact the Public Information Officer at 910.253.2995 or email meagan.kascsak@brunswickcountync.gov

Residents can find the latest information from the County concerning Emergency Services and COVID-19 at http://brunswickcountync.gov/news
Individuals can also follow the County’s social media and sign up for emails on emergency updates at http://brunswickcountync.gov/info/email/

County Contact Information & Virtual Services During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Brunswick County is urging individuals to visit our website and to call or email county departments for assistance first before visiting county offices. The County now requires appointments for in-person visits. Not sure who to contact? Call our main line and we can help direct your calls.