Dorian remains a major, category 4 hurricane and is still nearing category 5 strength. It is heading west at 8 miles per hour and is currently 562 miles southeast of Chatham County. Despite the track shift to the east, Chatham County remains in the storm’s error cone mid to late next week and we could see direct impacts in our area.
CEMA will advance to the Mobilization Phase at 6PM in preparation of Hurricane Dorian’s approach to the east coast of the United States. The Mobilization Phase allows Chatham County to start moving assets and putting them in place should they be needed.
Coordination of response efforts with local, regional, and state agencies continue. CEMA continues to work with the Command Policy Group (which is comprised of elected officials and County/Municipality leaders) and surrounding emergency management agency (EMA) directors to make decisions in the response to the storm.
Everyone should continue to finalize preparedness efforts. Some activities may include:
·Secure loose or lightweight items outside your house or business.
·Take a look at your Family Communications Plan. Determine how you would notify family and friends if communication networks were interrupted.
·Look around your home for any areas that could be affected by heavy rainfall. For example, take time to clear out your gutters and check for any debris gathering on your roof. Large amounts of debris left on your roof during a storm could cause your roof to weaken and leave you with a leak.
·Check your prescription medications to ensure you have enough to get you through at least the next 7 days. If not, request a re-fill from your pharmacist.
·Look in your pantry to determine what non-perishable food items you have available. If power were to go out, you want to make sure that you can still eat.
If you have any questions about the storm, don’t hesitate to call us at 912-201-4500.