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From US Congressman David Rouzer

As our state prepares for Hurricane Irma, I wanted to provide you with an update as well as various resources and hurricane preparedness tips.

On Thursday, Governor Roy Cooper issued a state of emergency for all 100 North Carolina counties. While there is still a lot we do not know about the storm, we do know that our state can expect almost certain impacts from the hurricane early next week. Meteorologists are predicting that portions of our state could experience severe wind and rain as early as Monday. Below is a graphic of what we do and do now know as of Thursday, September 7.

The track and impacts of Hurricane Irma remain fluid – please continue to watch the local news and monitor weather updates.

Despite the uncertainty of Irma’s track and timing, now is the time to ensure you and your family are prepared. Please take the following precautions while preparing for Irma:

Before the storm —

*Make a kit of emergency supplies for basic survival – including several days worth of food, water and life-sustaining items such as prescriptions;
*Make a plan for what you and your family will do in an emergency – map out your route and don’t forget to have a plan of action to take care of your pets and livestock;
*Board up windows and doors, secure loose items in your yards or bring them inside;
*Move your furniture away from doors and windows. Take photographs of your items should you have to file damage claims after the storm;
*Fill your car with gasoline and pull out some cash in case banks and ATMs are temporarily closed;
*Have plywood, nails and screws ready to cover windows and protect your home;
*Trim trees and shrubs around your home;
*Close storm shutters;
*Turn off propane; and,
*Obey evacuation orders.

During the storm —

*Do not run water during lighting storms or enter flooded areas or touch electrical equipment if the ground may be wet;
*If you’ve lost power for more than a few hours, turn off your range, toaster oven, iron and other items to ensure optimal safety for whenever power is restored;
*Turn off air conditions and water heaters to prevent system overloads;
*Make sure your generator is grounded;
*Stay indoors and away from windows and glass doors; and,
Pay attention to public announcements to ensure drinking water isn’t contaminated.

After the storm –

*Continue to monitor the NOAA Weather Radio or local radio or TV stations for any updates on the storm;
*If you are in need of food, water, clothing, cleaning supplies of minor medical care, please contact the American Red Cross;
*Inspect your home for damage – take photographs of damage for future claims;
*Discard any food or water that came into contact with flood water to avoid contamination;
*Avoid flooded roads and washed out bridges; and,
*Check in with family and neighbors to alert them that you are safe from harm.

Our offices in Bolivia, Wilmington, Four Oaks and Washington, D.C. are continuing to monitor Hurricane Irma and stand ready to assist you. Please call us if you have any questions or concerns. You can reach our Bolivia office by calling (910) 253-6111; our Wilmington office at (910) 395-0202; our Four Oaks office at (919) 938-3040 and Washington, D.C. office at (202) 225-2731.

If there is an emergency, please call 9-1-1. As a reminder, the telephone number for Duke Energy is (800) 419-6356, Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation is 800-682-5309, Four County EMC is888-368-7289, Tri-County EMC is 866-254-8100 and South River EMC is 888-338-5530.

For updates on Hurricane Irma, please check Ready NC’s website at readync.org. You can also download Ready NC’s free mobile app.

Please stay prepared, continue to monitor weather forecasts, and be safe.