TAKE STEPS NOW TO MAKE EMERGENCY PLANS RELATED TO HURRICANE DORIAN
The Suffolk Fire & Rescue Office of Emergency Management would like to remind all residents to take the appropriate steps as it relates to emergency preparedness due to the threat of Hurricane Dorian and its potential impact.
Governor Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency in Virginia at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, September 2, 2019. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management advises that there is increasing confidence that southeast Virginia will see direct impacts as early as Thursday with impacts most likely later Thursday through Friday. There is a potential for major coastal flooding, three feet or greater; the wind field will expand significantly as the storm moves north; gust of 60 mph, or higher, can be expected along the coast; rainfall in some areas could meet or exceed 7 inches of rain; there is a flash flood threat Thursday night and Friday. They further stress that citizens shouldn’t focus on the track alone, as impacts will occur well away from the center of the storm.
No evacuation has been ordered, but officials recommend that residents, especially those in coastal evacuation Zone A, located in the Southside region of Hampton Roads and the Eastern Shore, stay alert to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service in Wakefield and continue to prepare their homes, businesses and family members in the event an evacuation were to be ordered based on the latest storm track, storm surge and tidal flooding modeling.
The Commonwealth of Virginia previously enacted the “Know Your Zone” evacuation initiative which provides residents clarity on whether they should evacuate in an emergency or shelter at home. Information as to your designation based on your physical address can be obtained by visiting www.KnowYourZoneVA.org for a detailed, interactive, color-coded map showing each evacuation zone. If you don’t have access to a computer or internet service, call 2-1-1.
City Manager Patrick Roberts met with Department Heads, Public Safety and Suffolk Public School officials this afternoon related to local emergency measures in order to ensure the safety of our citizens and the group will continue to closely monitor the weather event and take any necessary actions moving forward.
Whether related to Hurricane Dorian or other potential severe weather events during hurricane season, now is the time for our citizens to prepare—Make a Kit, Get and Plan, and Stay Informed. To learn more, visit www.VAEmergency.gov/hurricanes.
While we are currently experiencing “blue skies”, the time to act is now as it relates to making sure you have your emergency kit prepared with sufficient supplies including food and water for each family member for at least five days; your vehicles are fueled and ready; secure loose, lightweight objects such as patio furniture, bicycles, and other items or bring these inside, and anchor items that would be unsafe if brought inside (gas grills, propane tanks, etc.); to trim or remove damaged trees and limbs close enough to fall on structures, and to secure loose gutters and downspouts and clear any clogged areas or debris to prevent water damage to your property.
We are closely monitoring the storm track and potential local impacts. During weather or other emergencies affecting the City of Suffolk, residents have several methods to obtain and/or receive information related to road closures and other updates from the City and Emergency Management. Those methods include:
Suffolk On the Alert - https://suffolk.onthealert.com – Residents can sign up for alerts delivered primarily via email. Categories include Traffic Updates, Parks & Recreation, Public Utilities-water outages, Public Works-trash collection, and Special Events. Residents can select what topics are of interest to them for the latest information.
City social media -- Facebook (@suffolkva) and Twitter (@CityofSuffolk)
Suffolk Police Department social media – Facebook (@suffolkpolicedepartment)
Suffolk Fire & Rescue social media – Facebook (@suffolkfirerescue)
Nextdoor – The City of Suffolk, Suffolk Police, and Suffolk Fire & Rescue all have the ability to post messages to all Suffolk members of Nextdoor regardless of neighborhood.
City of Suffolk Website – During an emergency, an alert link will be up at the top of the homepage and every page on the site. Additionally, under City Spotlights, information from news releases from the City will be posted and updated.
Suffolk Municipal Channel – Spectrum Channel 190. Information will be displayed on the Bulletin Board portion of programming. For those without Spectrum TV, the channel is streamed live 24/7 at this link: http://suffolkva.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=2