Dear Citizens,

For better or worse, North Carolina has vast experience when it comes to hurricanes.

On average, a hurricane strikes our state every three years. The rain, winds, flooding or storm surge associated with these storms have impacted every county in the state.

While we have been fortunate in recent years, we know that another big storm will impact our state eventually. This year is predicted to be especially active for tropical storms.

We all share in the responsibility to be ready for hurricanes, or any other disaster. Every family should have enough food, water and supplies to live on their own for three to seven days. Make plans for where to go if you need to evacuate. Be sure you have supplies and plans for your pets, too.

I hope you'll take a few minutes to watch "Be Prepared, Be Safe" and hear from local and state authorities who have experience preparing for and recovering from various types of disasters.

We don't know when the next big storm will come, but we do know it will come.

Are you ready?

Be safe,

Doug Hoell Director of Emergency Management

« this page last modified 08/18/10 »