The week of May 11-15, Tropical Storm Arthur opened hurricane season two weeks early. Monday morning, Tropical Storm Bertha formed and raced across the Lowcountry.
Although hurricane season officially starts on June 1 with the peak risk on August and September, early May and June are the times to prepare. This time of year, supplies are easily obtained — while those who wait until the storm threatens may find shelves bare.
Getting ready for hurricane season was the focus of this and last Thursday’s question and answer online forums with Emergency Operations Center Director David Green, Fire-Rescue Chief Barry McRoy, Walterboro Police Chief Wade Marvin and Colleton County Sheriff Charles Ghent.
Although this year’s storm season is predicted to be average, it only takes one to cause damage to the community, said Emergency Operations Center director David Greene. Information here is from both online forums.
This year will also pose problems with hurricane shelters, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The social distance requirements still in place by the governor will severely limit the number of spots available in Colleton’s shelter at Colleton County High School; plus life in the shelter is not particularly comfortable. So residents who live in evacuation zones or in mobile homes should be making arrangements to leave and stay with family, friends or other places.
Colleton County has two evacuation zones, said Fire-Rescue Chief Barry McRoy. The first covers the area from Green Pond to Yemassee. The second is from Cottageville to Walterboro on Highway 17A and along the rivers in the ACE Basin.
To find out of your home is in an evacuation zone, visit scemd.org and click on Find My Zone.
If you don’t live in an evacuation zone, you don’t have to leave, but that decision could prove costly.
And download the emergency app at scemd.org to get evacuation maps and other important information during a storm, McRoy said.
And always get information from reliable sources online, not just Facebook posts. Yesterday a panic was created by a false report about shootings in Forest Hills. The sheriff and police departments, Fire-Rescue and two local newspapers all have Facebook and websites. The National Hurricane Center has a website. Use known reliable sources for information.
During a hurricane, emergency help cannot get to residents. “You are going to be on your own for a while,” said Sheriff Charles Ghent last week. Greene also noted that 31% of hurricane deaths are from heart attacks. Anyone who has a health emergency during the storm or while roads are still blocked will not be able to get help.
Walterboro Police Chief Wade Marvin encouraged residents to start assembling hurricane disaster supplies now. “It just makes common sense, but most people don’t do it,” he said. A checklist includes plastic sheeting, plywood, prescription medicines, three days of water for each person, non-perishable food, batteries, flashlights, filling up vehicles with fuel, etc. A basic checklist is available at https://www.ready.gov/kit.
And make a plan, just in case it’s needed, and make it ahead of schedule, Marvin said.
Check with your home insurance provider to make sure all is covered in the event of damage, Marvin said. Homeowner policies don’t cover flood insurance and many don’t cover wind and rain damage. So, make sure you know now what your policy covers. After hurricane season starts on June 1, many insurance companies won’t change or issue new policies.
Ghent also reminded that people often don’t make preparation for their pets: how to transport them, where they are going to stay with pets (many hotels don’t allow pets), pet medications and food, etc.
Pet-friendly hotels are listed here: http://www.pet-friendly-hotels.net/pet-friendly-hotels-southcarolina.html.
A list of S.C. veterinarians is listed here: https://scav.z2systems.com/np/clients/scav/publicaccess/membershipDirectory.do?md=4&
More information on pet preparedness is here: https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/pet-disaster-preparedness.html
He also encouraged residents to make an inventory of personal belongings (with serial numbers, if available). Identify and locate important papers and take them with you if you evacuate or put them in a secure location. Take pictures, both inside and outside of your home.
Remember to turn off the gas, electricity, unplug appliances and even golf cart chargers. Ghent remembered an incident where a person survived the storm, but lost his house to a fire after the returning power surged a golf cart charger. Turn the refrigerator up to its highest setting before the power goes out before the storm.
Prepare your home by having plywood on hand for windows or installing hurricane shutters. Move all objects outside that could blow such as garbage cans. Install straps and clips that secure your roof. Make sure trees and shrubs are pruned and clean gutters and out-spouts. Move boats away from docks, and make sure you put gas in your car — filling stations may not have power for days after a storm.
Those who live on Edisto Beach should take advantage of the beach’s new system offering decals for property owners to help speed up the process of returning to the island after a storm. Those without decals will have to have paperwork proving they own property before being able to return after a storm.
Greene said people need to take hurricanes seriously, even Category 1 storms. “People said it’s only a Category 1, but that’s very dangerous thinking,” he said. In the past 10 years, Category 1 storms have caused 175 deaths and $103 billion in damage.
And the wind is not the only danger. Storm surge kills 49%, rain and flooding 29% and heart attacks 31%, he said. “We may not be able to get to you during, or for some time after, a storm, so if you have a heart attack and didn’t evacuate, help might not be available.”
Greene also said the storm’s cone of uncertainty is just that — uncertain. The size of the predicted cone has gotten smaller in recent years. It’s the predicted track of the center of the storm, but it’s not the limit of the effects outside of that cone, which could be hundreds of miles away.
The gist is be prepared and leave while you can. If you’re told to evacuate, go. Have a plan in place for supplies, travel and a place to stay. Don’t take hurricanes for granted.
On Covid-19
Yesterday, SCDHEC reported 20 deaths in the state, including three in Colleton County, Greene said. That is the highest death rate for one day in S.C. since the virus began. And one of the recent deaths was a 23-year-old EMT, so it’s not only the elderly or those with pre-existing conditions who are in danger.
All encouraged the public to follow safety guidelines.
Free Covid-19 testing will be offered at Black Street Elementary on Monday and Tuesday June 1-2. To register, visit FetterCovid19Screening.org or by calling 1-800-365-7410. Anyone who has symptoms or has been exposed to someone with the virus may get tested. But a screening during registration is required.
County offices
County offices have not been open to walk-in traffic, but have been open since the beginning of the virus epidemic.
Steps are being taken to put in protective measures to secure office personnel, but because of the varying types of offices this will take some time.
Hopefully, county offices will be able to reopen in a couple of weeks.
