Hurricane season has arrived, being prepared is critical

PENDER COUNTY – With the start of Hurricane season, Pender County is here to promote hurricane preparedness for citizens in our county. To help spread the word and make citizens better prepared, we are committed to continuing to ensure all know their risk, get prepared and stay informed.

Over the past 3 years, we have witnessed the devasting impacts that hurricanes can cause. High winds, heavy rainfall, tornadoes and floods can cause loss of life and damage to property. As we saw with the impacts of Hurricane Florence in Pender County, all hurricanes can cause significant damage, whether they are considered a Major Hurricane (Category 3 or higher).

Always keep these important facts in mind while preparing:

Know Your Risk: To search for general information about risks in your area, visit https://gis.pendercountync.gov/maps/ and type in your address. Click on layers and select flood zones to see what flood zone you are in or near. You can also visit NOAA’s historical hurricane track tool at https://coast.noaa.gov/hurricanes/ to check the severity and frequency of past hurricanes in your area.

Flood Alerts: To sign up for flood alerts that are tied to the nearest river gages, go to Pender County’s website and search for the webpage “Being Prepared for a Hurricane” https://pendercountync.gov/pcd/planning-community-development/being-prepared-for-a-hurricane/. Instructions to sign up for alerts can be found under the Flood Inundation Mapping and Alert Network (FIMAN) section.

Get prepared: Act now to be prepared for hurricane season. Make sure you have family evacuation and communication plans, update your emergency supply kit and evaluate your flood insurance needs.

Survival Kit Supplies: Water, Food (non-perishable), Flashlight, Battery power or Hand-crank radio (Can purchase at red cross store online), Extra batteries, Deluxe family first aid kit, Medications and medical items, Multi-purpose tools, Sanitation and personal hygiene items, Copy of personal documents, Cell phone with charger, Family and emergency contact information , Extra Cash, Emergency Blanket, Maps of the area IF NEEDED: Baby supplies, games and activities for children, pet supplies, manual can-opener.

Flood Insurance: Did you know that homeowner’s insurance does not cover damage from flooding? The good news is that the Pender County community is a member of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).  Flood insurance is available to homeowners, condo owners, apartment owners, renters and business owners. Typically, there’s a 30-day waiting period from date of purchase before your policy goes into effect. Areas in the floodplain are areas that are at high risk for flooding. In high-risk areas, there is at least a 1 in 4 chance of flooding during a 30-year mortgage.

For more information, watch our Pender County Emergency Management website or Facebook. If you have not signed up for the CodeRed alert system, register for free at https://pendercountync.gov/em/special-disaster-information/emergency-notification-system/ or call 910-259-1210 for details.

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