Philip D. Brown

Richmond County Daily Journal

With hurricane season looming large on the horizon, National Hurricane Preparedness Week stretches from May 24 through the 30th.

Though Richmond County doesn’t face the same risk of heavy storm surge damage in the event of a hurricane as the coast, there are still some concerns according to Emergency Management Director Frank McKay.

“We’re fortunate, here in Richmond County, to be this far away from the coast,” McKay said. “Although, as we found out during Hugo, along with some people in Charlotte, inland regions are not immune from damage from hurricanes.”

He recalled Hurricane Hazel in 1954 as the storm with the most impact on this county.

“If I remember correctly, that was a Category Four, and even Hugo and Floyd weren’t that,” he said. “Here we have to worry about rain, and forecasting by the Weather Service for rain delivered by hurricanes is not really good. It’s gotten better about being able to tell where the track was going to go, but sometimes you just can’t tell where it will go.”

McKay pointed out there were numerous deaths during Floyd by drowning. Many of the victims were in their vehicles at the time they succumbed to the waters.

“That’s a real concern for us,” he said. “Even here in Richmond County, people will see water on the road, and think, ‘Oh, I can drive through that,’ but they really can’t.”

He said there is not really a solid figure to gauge how much water it would take to move all the different makes and models and sizes of vehicles.

“But certainly, a foot of moving water would move your car, and you could very well be in trouble,” he said.

He also said winds are a concern, to a lesser degree.

“Winds, of course, are a problem when you’re talking about hurricanes, but generally, I think flooding is the number one concern here in Richmond County,” he said.

The North Carolina Division of Emergency Management suggests a three-pronged strategy to avoid being swept away in your car in the event of flooding.

First, stay tuned in to local radio stations and television broadcasts to find out what to do and where to go.

Second, flooding can begin well before a hurricane nears land, so plan to evacuate early. Keep a full tank of gas, learn the best evacuation route and arrange with friends or relatives inland to stay with them until the storm has passed.

Third, never attempt to drive through water on the road. It can be deeper than it appears, and its level can rise very quickly.

Cars can also float on storm waters and be swept downstream.

The North Carolina Department of Insurance suggests you review your insurance policies before the season to be sure you are covered against damage from flooding and winds.

People who live in rental properties are also encouraged to purchase renter’s insurance.

In addition, make a list of your belongings and take pictures or videotape them. Keep your inventory list along with purchase receipts, pictures and your insurance policy in a safe-deposit box or other safe place away from home.

This documentation will help you to be compensated for your property in the event it is destroyed in a storm.

“Have a supply of food and fresh water on hand, and it helps to have a little extra cash,” McKay said. “If you’re a person that lives with ATM’s and debit cards and all that sort of thing, you have to realize that all those things may not work in the event of a serious storm.”