With hurricane season among us, Pender County provides tips on staying prepared

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Nearly two months into hurricane season, Pender County is continuing to provide hurricane preparedness information for citizens in our county.

Pender County Emergency Management states their commitment to promoting personal and community preparedness techniques to ensure all citizens understand their flood risk, work to mitigate their flood risk and stay informed regarding hurricanes and flood events.

In the recent past, our communities have witnessed the devastating impacts that hurricanes can cause.

High winds, heavy rainfall, tornadoes, and floods can cause loss of life and damage to property.

Similar to the impacts of Hurricane Florence, all hurricanes can cause significant damage, even if they are not considered a Major Hurricane (Category 3 or higher).

Always keep these important facts in mind while preparing:

Know Your Risk: To search for general information about risks in your area, click here and type in your address.

Click on layers and select flood zones to see what flood zone you are in or near. You can also visit NOAA’s historical hurricane track tool to check the severity and frequency of past hurricanes in your area.

Flood Alerts: To sign up for flood alerts that are tied to the nearest river gages, go to Pender County’s website and search for the webpage “Being Prepared for a Hurricane” or you can click here. Instructions to sign up for alerts can be found under the Flood Inundation Mapping and Alert Network (FIMAN) section.

Be Prepared: Act now to be prepared for hurricane season. Make sure you have family evacuation and communication plans, update your emergency supply kit and evaluate your flood insurance needs.

Survival Kit Supplies: Water, food (non-perishable), flashlight, battery-powered or hand-crank radio (can be purchased at Red Cross store online), extra batteries, deluxe family first aid kit, medications and medical items, multi-purpose tools, sanitation, and personal hygiene items, copy of personal documents, cell phone with charger, family and emergency contact information, extra cash, emergency blanket, maps of the area, and if needed: Baby supplies, games and activities for children, pet supplies, and a manual can-opener.

Flood Insurance: Did you know that homeowner’s insurance does not cover damage from flooding? Pender County is a member of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Flood insurance is available to homeowners, condo owners, apartment owners, renters and business owners. Typically, there’s a 30-day waiting period from the date of purchase before your policy goes into effect. Areas in the floodplain are at a high risk of flooding. In high-risk areas, there is at least a 1 in 4 chance of flooding during a 30-year mortgage.