Hurricane Awareness

We care about You! That's why we urge you to leave if an evacuation is ordered.  Visit Friends or Relatives who live in a safe location,  or go to a motel or hotel away from the unsafe area for a Mini-Vacation.

Be Red Cross Ready!

2007 Severe Weather Shelters         Coastal Evacuation Routes

Red Cross Urges Readiness
For Hurricane Season

According to a recent Red Cross poll, only 40 percent of hurricane-prone communities are prepared for a storm, and nearly 60 percent of residents in those areas do not have an evacuation plan or a disaster supplies kit. 

“Waiting until the last minute to prepare or not believing that hurricanes can hit your community is a huge mistake,” said Joe Becker, vice president of response for the American Red Cross.

Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30 and typically affects areas along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts in the United States. 

Learn More...

Providing "Safe and Well" Information

American Red Cross Safe and Well Website is available for anyone affected by a disaster. This website provides a way for you to register yourself as “safe and well.” From a list of standard messages, you can select those that you want to communicate to your family members, letting them know of your well-being. 

Also, the site allows concerned family and friends to search the list of those who have registered themselves as “safe and well.” The results of a successful search will display a loved one’s First Name, Last Name, an “As of Date”, and the “safe and well” messages selected

Another page on the site allows people affected by a disaster to post “safe and well” messages that their loved ones outside the disaster area can view. Registering yourself on the Safe and Well Website is entirely voluntary. You may also update your entry at any time. 

For information on the Safe and Well Website, click the following link: https://disastersafe.redcross.org

Know What Hurricane WATCH and WARNING Mean

• WATCH: Hurricane conditions are possible in the specified area of the WATCH, usually within 36 hours.
• WARNING: Hurricane conditions are expected in the specified area of the WARNING, usually within 24 hours.

Prepare a Personal Evacuation Plan

• Identify ahead of time where you could go if you are told to evacuate. Choose several places--a friend's home in another town, a motel, or a shelter.
• Click Here to see Coastal Evacuation Routes.
• Keep handy the telephone numbers of these places as well as a road map of your locality. You may need to take alternative or unfamiliar routes if major roads are closed or clogged.
• Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or local radio or TV stations for evacuation instructions. If advised to evacuate, do so immediately.

Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit Including the Following Items:

• First aid kit and essential medications.
• Canned food and can opener.
• At least three gallons of water per person.
• Protective clothing, rainwear, and bedding or sleeping bags.
• Battery-powered radio, flashlight, and extra batteries.
• Special items for infants, elderly, or disabled family members.
• Written instructions on how to turn off electricity, gas and water if authorities advise you to do so. (Remember, you'll need a professional to turn them back on.)

Prepare for High Winds

• Install hurricane shutters or purchase precut 1/2" outdoor plywood boards for each window of your home. Install anchors for the plywood and predrill holes in the plywood so that you can put it up quickly.
• Make trees more wind resistant by removing diseased and damaged limbs, then strategically removing branches so that wind can blow through.

Know What to Do When a Hurricane WATCH Is Issued

• Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or local radio or TV stations for up-to-date storm information.
• Prepare to bring inside any lawn furniture, outdoor decorations or ornaments, trash cans, hanging plants, and anything else that can be picked up by the wind.
• Prepare to cover all windows of your home. If shutters have not been installed, use precut plywood as described above. Note: Tape does not prevent windows from breaking, so taping windows is not recommended.
• Fill your car's gas tank.
• Recheck manufactured home tie-downs.
• Check batteries and stock up on canned food, first aid supplies, drinking water, and medications.

Know What to Do When a Hurricane WARNING Is Issued

• Listen to the advice of local officials, and leave if they tell you to do so.
• Complete preparation activities.
• If you are not advised to evacuate, stay indoors, away from windows.
• Be aware that the calm "eye" is deceptive; the storm is not over. The worst part of the storm will happen once the eye passes over and the winds blow from the opposite direction. Trees, shrubs, buildings, and other objects damaged by the first winds can be broken or destroyed by the second winds.
• Be alert for tornadoes. Tornadoes can happen during a hurricane and after it passes over. Remain indoors, in the center of your home, in a closet or bathroom without windows.
• Stay away from flood waters. If you come upon a flooded road, turn around and go another way. If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are rising rapidly around you, get out of the car and climb to higher ground.

Know What to Do After a Hurricane Is Over

• Keep listening to NOAA Weather Radio or local radio or TV stations for instructions.
• If you evacuated, return home when local officials tell you it is safe to do so.
• Inspect your home for damage.
• Use flashlights in the dark; do not use candles.

Like More Information? Visit the Following Websites:

• American Red Cross Hurricane Preparedness

• Hurricanes...Unleashing Nature's Fury - A Preparedness Guide created by NOAA, Red Cross, and FEMA

• Federal Emergency Management Agency

• National Hurricane Center

• South Carolina Pet Friendly Hotels - Protect your pets during severe weather