News

The 2020 Hurricane Season has begun. We strongly encourage all Chatham County residents to take the time to prepare. There are several things that you can do to ensure you are ready for either an evacuation or a shelter in place order. Here are a few things that you can start doing TODAY:

  1. Build Your Emergency Supply Kit. 
    • We always say build a "kit" but in reality, this "kit" may not fit in one small bucket. Take a look at the supplies on our list (HERE) and add you own items to it. 
    • Be sure to have enough food to last EVERYONE in your home at least 3-5 days. With the supply chain the way it is right now, this may be hard, but try! These food items should be non-perishable and ideally do not need to be cooked or heated in case you lose power. 
    • You need plenty of water- FEMA recommends 1 gallon of water- per person, per day. Please realize that this is a LOT of water- more than just one case for a family of four. If you have an infant that uses formula- you will likely need more water than that. 
    • Add to your kit over time. Most people, espeically now, cannot afford to go out and buy everything at once. Each time you go to the store, add one more item to your kit!
    • Be sure to label your items and know when they are about to expire- you don't want to add stomach issues on top of an evacuation!
    • Lastly, for the 2020 season, your kit defintely needs to include santizing wipes, hand santizer and cloth face coverings!!!
  2. Have an Evacuation Plan.
    • We understand that you can't plan when a hurricane is going to hit and book your hotel room. BUT, you can have a pre-determined hotel in mind or at least a preferred location. Talk with your family and friends to determine where they are going and develop your plans NOW!
    • If a hotel is not for you, go ahead and call up your Aunt (or family, friend, long lost cousin...whoever!) and ask her if you can stay there! Styaing with family and friends is a lesser financial burden and can be a better alternative for your pets.
  3. Document Your Home.
    • Imagine this: you come home from an evacuation to see your entire home has been damaged by a tornado during the hurricane. You go to submit an insurance claim and they want you to outline the items that you lost for replacement. Can you remember EVERYTHING in your home? Close your eyes and think about it right now. If you are anything like me or everyone else in the USA, you likely forgot something, perhaps something big! Take the time to document items in your home before a storm. It can be as simple as turning your phone to video mode and recording each room. ANYTHING will help if you are in the above situation. 
  4. Stay Informed.
    • Find a way to receive emergency alerts and stay in the know! You can sign up for CEMA Alerts HERE