Governor McCrory Urges Residents to Be Disaster Ready | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Raleigh, N.C.  ;   Governor Pat McCrory is using this year's noteworthy anniversaries of Hurricanes Hazel, Hugo, Floyd, Frances and Ivan to encourage North Carolina families, businesses and schools to make a plan, get a kit and stay informed in the event of an emergency.

    "North Carolina has faced severe winter weather, devastating tornadoes and the earliest hurricane on record this year," Governor McCrory said. "While it appears Hurricane Cristobal will not have a direct impact on North Carolina, it is an important reminder we must be ready at any moment. North Carolina's beaches are open for business this Labor Day holiday and I encourage people to enjoy the wonderful attractions our state has to offer."

    North Carolina has experienced the gamut of severe weather. The year started with four winter weather storms that pummeled much of the state with snow or ice. In April, nine tornadoes touched down in eastern North Carolina, impacting nine counties. One person died, 28 were injured and more than 300 homes were damaged. The same weather system dumped hail and rain over much of central and eastern North Carolina.

    Hurricane Arthur, the latest system to impact the state, was the earliest hurricane on record, coming ashore right before the July 4 holiday weekend. Although the storm produced heavy rains and strong winds, it caused minimal impact to the state's beaches.

    Last year alone, the state experienced 10 tornadoes, 464 severe thunderstorms, 81 hail storms where the hail was at least one inch, and 150 incidents of flash flooding.

    The governor has proclaimed September as Emergency Preparedness Month, which coincides with National Preparedness Month, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The designation is made each September to encourage Americans to prepare for emergencies.

    From the mountains to the coast and everywhere in between, the governor urged all levels of the community to be prepared. He said the easiest, most economical way people can protect their families and businesses is to plan ahead, gather those supplies and discuss their emergency plans.

    "Emergency preparedness should be at the forefront of citizens' minds, especially during peak hurricane season," Public Safety Secretary Frank Perry said. "Schools, businesses, cities, counties and state agencies should routinely test and exercise their response plans. Being prepared before a disaster helps save lives and makes recovering from a disaster easier. Whether it is a flash flood, hurricane, tornado, earthquake, snow storm or even chemical spill, it is vital that all North Carolinians know what to do and where to go when danger threatens."

    This year marks the 60th anniversary of Hurricane Hazel, the 25th anniversary of Hurricane Hugo, the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Floyd and the 10th anniversary of Tropical Storms Frances and Ivan.

    Hurricane Floyd remains the state's most devastating and expensive disaster. Fifty-two deaths were attributed to the storm that submerged 30 downtown areas, damaged 67,000 homes and 60,000 businesses, disabled dozens of water and sewer systems, breached 40 dams, knocked out power to 1.2 million homes and closed 1,500 roads and 23 airports. Estimated damages totaled $6 billion.

    Ten years before Hurricane Floyd, Category 4 Hurricane Hugo made landfall north of Charleston then moved northward to Charlotte, where it caused seven deaths and about $1 billion in damage. Twenty-nine counties reported storm-related damage, and Charlotte lost more than 80,000 trees.

    In 1954, Hurricane Hazel made landfall as a Category 4 storm and was thought to be the most destructive hurricane to hit North Carolina until Hurricane Floyd. It caused major damage to the beaches of New Hanover and Brunswick counties and record rainfall during its 18 hours on land. Nineteen deaths were attributed to the storm which damaged or destroyed 54,000 homes and structures causing $136 million in damage.

    "As a state, we have made major strides with regard to planning and preparedness," said Mike Sprayberry, director of Emergency Management. "We have cultivated stronger partnerships, developed more comprehensive plans and created preparedness tools like the ReadyNC mobile app to help anyone in North Carolina plan, prepare and stay informed. Ultimately, preparedness begins at home, so people need to develop their individual plans and make an emergency supply kit."

    For more information on how to ensure your family is disaster ready, go to ReadyNC.org or download the free ReadyNC app. The app is available for both iPhone and android devices and features real time weather, traffic and shelter information.

• Contact: Crystal Feldman
•     govpress@nc.gov