If you decide to stay - (Not Recommended when a Mandatory Evacuation has been issued - See NC General Statutes for potential legal consequences)
- Have your disaster supply kit full and updated.
- Have all medications on hand.
- Have a traditional non-cordless phone (landline).
- Turn off all major appliances.
- Keep refrigerator and freezer door closed as much as possible.
- If you use a portable generator keep it outside in a well-ventilated area away from doors and windows.
- Keep a set of tools in your home.
- Prepare to be self-sufficient for several days.
- Be aware that emergency services will not be available.
Mandatory or Directed Evacuation: This is a warning to persons within the designated area that an imminent threat to life and property exists and individuals MUST evacuate in accordance with the instructions of local officials.
Voluntary Evacuation: This is a warning to persons within a designated area that a threat to life and property exists or is likely to exist in the immediate future. Individuals issued this type of warning or order are NOT required to evacuate, however it would be to their advantage to do so.
NC General Statue regarding evacuation notices: § 166A-19.62. Civil liability of persons who willfully ignore a warning in an emergency. In an emergency, a person who willfully ignores a warning regarding personal safety issued by a federal, State, or local law enforcement agency, emergency management agency, or other governmental agency responsible for emergency management under this Article is civilly liable for the cost of a rescue effort to any governmental agency or nonprofit agency cooperating with a governmental agency conducting a rescue on the endangered person's behalf if all of the following are true: NC General Statutes - Chapter 166A 25 (1) The person ignores the warning and (i) engages in an activity or course of action that a reasonable person would not pursue or (ii) fails to take a course of action that a reasonable person would pursue. (2) As a result of ignoring the warning, the person places himself or herself or another in danger. (3) A governmental rescue effort is undertaken on the endangered person's behalf. (1997-232, s. 1; 2012-12, s. 1(b).)
In-Place Sheltering
There may be times that you must seek shelter in your home or business. This may be due to a hazardous material release in your local vicinity or because a severe storm, such as a tornado. In these instances, you must be prepared to stay inside and shelter in-place, and take appropriate actions to protect yourself from the hazard. This involves knowing how to shelter in-place or how to use a safe room.
In-Place Sheltering simply means staying inside your home, business, or other facility, or seeking shelter in the nearest available building. During an accidental release of toxic chemicals, or emergencies involving hazardous materials where air quality may be threatened, In-Place Sheltering keeps you inside a protected area and out of danger.
How will I be notified to Shelter In-Place?
Local law and public safety authorities are responsible for issuing orders for In-Place Sheltering during chemical or hazardous material emergencies. You may receive notice in several ways:
- Directly from Police or Fire officials
- Via a recorded telephone message from Code Red & Carteret County Emergency Services - sign up for notifications at https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/0DC4FFDC7074
- Through radio or television broadcasts
- Via Official Town and County websites and social media. Please be aware that social media sites allow emergency management to quickly update the public in a time efficient manner. Web updates typically take longer.
As soon as you are notified that an emergency situation exists in your area, tune to your local Emergency Alert System station for further information. Local radio and television stations also provide EAS information during their local broadcasts. Emergency information and steps to be taken will be broadcast continuously until the emergency is over.
In-Place Sheltering in your Home
- If possible, bring outdoor pets inside; do not unnecessarily risk your safety for your pet
- Close and lock all doors and windows to the outside
- Turn off all heating/air conditioning systems, and switch inlets or vents to the "closed" position
- Close all fireplaces dampers
- Seal gaps around window-type air conditioners, fireplace dampers, doors and windows with plastic sheeting, wax paper, aluminum wrap, or any other suitable material and tape
- Seal bathroom exhaust fans or grills, range vents, dryer vents, and any other openings to the best extent possible
- Close drapes, or shades over windows; stay away from windows
- Remain in place until you are told by Police or Fire officials, or through radio or television broadcasts, that it is safe to leave
In-Place Sheltering at your Workplace
In addition to the directions listed for your home:
- Ensure that all ventilation systems are set to 100 percent recirculation so that no outside air is drawn into the building
- If 100 percent recirculation is not possible, ventilation systems should be turned off
- Minimize use of elevators as they tend to "pump" air in and out of a building while moving up and down
- Again, remain in place until you receive notice from Police or Fire officials, or radio or television broadcasts, that it is safe to leave
During an Accidental Release of Toxic Chemicals:
DO:
- Stay inside your home, place of business, or another enclosed building
- Tune to the Emergency Alert System (EAS) station on your radio or television for further information
DON'T:
- Go outside or attempt to drive unless you are specifically instructed to evacuate; evacuation procedures may vary by community; fro specific information on evacuation, contact your Hampton Office of Emergency Management.
Safe Room Sheltering
During times of severe weather, especially events that have high winds such as hurricanes and tornadoes, it may be necessary to find shelter where you are. Every building will have some area that will provide a higher degree of safety. Unfortunately, other types of dwellings such as mobile or modular constructed homes do not have sufficient strength to withstand high winds. In those instances, the residents must evacuate from them and seek sheltering elsewhere.
The concept of a safe room has been developed and endorsed by FEMA, emergency management officials and other professionals. A safe room can be as simple as an interior room, a retrofitted room in an existing structure, or as a planned area that is included in new construction. Identifying a safe room will help individuals protect themselves during severe weather.
Safe Rooms
Shelters
There are several possible locations in your house for a shelter. Perhaps the most convenient and safest is below ground level, in your basement. If your house does not have a basement, you can install an in-ground shelter beneath a concrete slab-on-grade foundation or a concrete garage floor. Basement shelters and in-ground shelters provide the highest level of protection against missiles and falling debris.
Safe Rooms
Another alternative shelter location is an interior room on the first floor of the house. Researchers, emergency response personnel, and people cleaning up after a tornado have often found an interior room of a house still standing when all other above ground parts of the house have been destroyed. Closets, bathrooms, and small storage rooms offer the advantage of having a function other than providing occasional storm protection. Typically, these rooms have only one door and no windows, which makes them well-suited for conversion to a shelter. Bathrooms have the added advantage of including a water supply and toilet.
Regardless of where in your house you build your shelter, the walls and ceiling of the shelter must be built so that they will protect you from missiles and falling debris, and so that they will remain standing if your house is severely damaged by extreme winds. If sections of your house walls are used as shelter walls, those sections must be separated from the structure of the house. This is true regardless of whether you use interior or exterior walls of the house.
If you live in an area that is not required to evacuate and cannot protect all your windows and doors, for whatever reason, you must identify and protect a portion of your home -- a safe room!
How to select your safe room :
- A room in the center of your home.
- A room with small or few windows.
If you live in a two-story house away from the water. go to an interior first-floor room, such as a bathroom, a closet or under the stairs.
If you live in a multiple-story building away from the water, go to the first or second floors and take refuge in halls or other interior rooms away from windows. Interior stairwells and the areas around elevator shafts generally are the strongest parts of the building.
Remember! Lowest level, smallest room, center part.
Protecting and supplying the safe room:
- If your selected room has windows, you must have some form of window protection.
- Move your water and food supply to your safe room.
- Move your battery-operated radio and flashlights to your safe room.
- Bring important papers
When to go to your safe room:
- When outside conditions worsen.
- When you hear a hurricane/tornado warning issued.
- Do not leave the safe room until the all clear is issued on the radio. Don't be fooled by the calm eye of the storm.
Weathering the Storm
You may hear windows break. Do not leave your safe room until the all clear is issued on the radio, even if the weather sounds calm -- you may be in the calm eye of the storm.
Stay away from unprotected windows.
Turn on your battery-operated radio.
Prepare for power outages. Have flashlight ready. When you lose power, turn off the main circuit breaker.
Please visit Carteret County Emergency Services at http://www.carteretcountync.gov/138/Emergency-Services for additional information.