Dear Citizens,

North Carolina is one of three states most prone to hurricanes, and this year weather officials predict an above-average year with 12 to 16 named storms and two to five major hurricanes possible. The truth is it doesn't matter what has been predicted in terms of numbers. It only takes one hurricane affecting the State of North Carolina to cause significant issues for our citizens. We need no other reason to get prepared for the upcoming season which runs from June to November.

Whether young or old, resident or visitor, each one of us needs to have enough food, water and personal hygiene items to live on our own, if necessary, for a bare minimum of three days. I recommend you prepare for seven days or more. 

Much of the work we do in the Division of Emergency Management is planning, preparing, training and organizing response capability for disasters. We also work with our partners at the local, state and federal levels of government to develop and provide recovery assistance in the aftermath of disasters. I urge you to do the same planning with your family.

 If you are aware of functionally or medically fragile persons in your community, help them with the development of a plan for their safety. Your local Emergency Management Agency is a good point of contact for information. You can find their phone number in your local phone book under government agencies.

Know where you will go if you must evacuate, have a point of contact out-of-state for family members to call if they get separated (as happened following Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana in 2005), and include your pets in your plans.  
 

            Sincerely,

            Doug Hoell            
            Director of Emergency Management