NAGS HEAD, N.C. — Hurricane season officially begins June 1 and NOAA is forecasting an above average number of storms.
Officials are urging people to start preparing now — a message echoed by people in Nags Head.
“We live on the Outer Banks and we prepare for those sort of things,” said Duane Turberville, an amateur radio operator. “So just be prepared. Think about it now because when the storm’s three days out, it’s not the time to think about it.”
Watch: How the Outer Banks prepares for hurricanes
That preparation can take many forms.
“It’s a small community so there’s a lot of small business owners like myself so it’s always in the back of your mind about being prepared and saving for a rainy day with some preparing, especially financially,” said Mark Ballog, a restaurant owner.
Diana Thomas, Natural Hazards branch manager and meteorologist with North Carolina Emergency Management, said while the forecast of an above average hurricane season is concerning, it only takes one major storm to have an impact.
Watch: Hurricane Isabel: A look back 20 years later
“One of the biggest things is for everyone to prepare an emergency supply kit,” she said. “And in this kit, we're, we're suggesting that everyone has a three to seven day supply for each member of their household.”
Some items in that kit should include:
- water
- nonperishable foods
- medications
- a NOAA weather radio or some other way to receive warnings, like the News 3 app
- cash in the case of extended power outages
“And, for this kit, it doesn't really have to be a huge financial undertaking. You could just purchase a couple extra things when you go to the grocery store every week … put those in your kit and then if you need it throughout the season, you'll have it already prepared throughout those weeks,” she said.
Resources can be found at ReadyNC.gov.
Preparedness also includes knowing where your home or vacation rental is in relation to evacuation zones. Those can be found at Knowyourzone.nc.gov.
You can also see flood gauges close to your neighborhood and sign up for alerts at the website for the North Carolina Flood Inundation Mapping and Alert Network at FIMAN.NC.Gov.
