Despite Hurricane Season officially starting June 1, no one on Folly really expects a storm this early in year. But after Tropical Storm Andrea blew through and soaked the island on June 7, hurricane preparation is at the front of everyone’s mind (or it should be).
Here’s what you need to be prepared for a storm on Folly Beach.
- Have a plan in place. Even if you’re just visiting when a storm threatens, you and our family should have a plan of what to do when a hurricane comes. Will you evacuate or shelter in place? Where are the nearest emergency shelters? What are your evacuation routes? Where will you meet if your family isn’t together in case of an emergency?
- Supplies are essential. What will you do if you are without electricity or gas for an extended period of time? Have a disaster supply kit prepared with essentials: water, non-perishable food, first aid supplies,in case you’re isolated for a long period of time.
- Know your evacuation routes. Don’t be surprised by how youre supposed to get out of town. Routes are carefully planned to help avoid traffic and decrease your travel time to safety. From Folly Beach, use Folly Road until you reach US 17 South. Travel southwest on 17 until you reach I-526. Go north on I-526 until you reach I-26. During a forced evacuation, all lanes of I-26 will be north bound to help with traffic issues.
- What about fido? When you plan, dont forget to include your pets. Youll need food and water for them in your emergency kits. Or you will need to know which hotels or shelters are pet-friendly. The North Charleston Coliseum is a pet-friendly shelter, but only one human per pet is allowed, and you must bring all your own pet supplies.
- Know where to find information. Here is a list of important phone numbers, including City Hall (588-2447), non-emergency Public Safety (588-7003), and the Citizen Assist Line (202-7100), and emergency radio stations for Folly Beach so you can stay informed of the danger.
The 2013 Hurricane season is going to be busy. The National Hurricane Center expects between 12 and 20 named storms, and 7 to 10 of those are likely to become hurricanes. Of those 3 to 6 could be major storms. Yikes. Storms will threaten Folly. You can’t stop the winds or rains or storm surge, but you can be prepared for when they come.
Visit the National Hurricane Center’s Hurricane Preparedness Page for more information https://www.noaa.gov/hurricane-prep.
