IF COVID-19 AND A MAJOR HURRICANE COLLIDE B Y G R E G B A R N E S Hurricane Isaias already left damage that spanned the East Coast, and the coronavirus continues to cause chaos. With forecasters having predicted an above-normal hurricane season, can North Carolina’s most vulnerable communities face both a serious storm and a pandemic? C o n t i n u e d The eye of Florence ALEX GERST/NASA 22 coastwatch | autumn 2020 | ncseagrant.org coastwatch | autumn 2020 | ncseagrant.org 23 crowded hospitals and exhausted medical Sprayberry said the state has plans Sprayberry said, the state plans to establish personnel, and ensuring that people have in place to open more shelters if needed, reception areas where low-income people in places other than shelters to ride out the storm. a difficult task even without the pandemic high-risk areas could go before evacuating Perhaps the biggest challenge should because it is usually done with little advance to learn which motel or dormitory would a hurricane strike is safely operating and warning. accommodate them. maintaining evacuation shelters, Sprayberry Because of the coronavirus, Sprayberry said. To provide adequate social distancing, the said, shelters are being viewed as “a last resort,” The state has also created state has limited the shelters to 115 square feet to be used primarily for people with nowhere evacuation zones in an effort per person. else to go. Unlike in the past, cots won’t be to make evacuating faster, Natosha Vincent, Wilmington’s provided to maximize space, and people will more organized, and efficient. emergency services coordinator, said that have to bring their own bedding, Vincent said. The zones can be found on means the four shelters designated for her city Sprayberry called shelters — and the a new interactive website, cannot hold a total of more than 235 people. possibility that such close living quarters will which will also update During Hurricane Florence, Vincent said, lead to a spread of the coronavirus — his evacuation orders for the those same shelters had a capacity of about “greatest concern.” zones. In addition, ReadyNC 600 people. As an alternative to shelters, Sprayberry has a comprehensive website Although no one would be turned said the state has identified more than 30,000 that provides information away, Vincent said, the city is encouraging non-congregate living quarters for people about storm preparedness, people who might have even a remote chance forced to evacuate, including rooms in motels evacuations, shelters, of having to evacuate to a shelter to make and dormitories farther inland. recovery, and the coronavirus. arrangements now to stay with family or Although still awaiting approval from friends who live inland. the Federal Emergency Management Agency, C o n t i n u e d o n p a g e 2 7 North Carolina, like other states, has struggled to recover from the aftermath of one hurricane after another. NWS Wakefield The month after Florence (here) made landfall in 2018, Michael moved through the state. Hurricane Isaias brought tornadoes to the East Coast earlier this year, including one that obliterated a Bertie County mobile home community. NASA raffic snarled in Wilmington on July 11 hurricane will hit the coast during a pandemic Sprayberry said. “Not worried, just Tas hundreds of vehicles lined up to receive free of the highly contagious coronavirus. concerned.” hurricane preparedness toolkits. In July, he said, Emergency Management After three major hurricanes in 36 North Carolina, like other and other state agencies held a virtual months, officials say the tremendous response states, has struggled to teleconference to update and hear concerns to the toolkits shows that people are taking the recover from the aftermath of from about 300 people — including local threat of another hurricane seriously. one hurricane after another. emergency management officials, first The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Now it faces a much bigger responders, National Guardsmen, volunteers, Administration predicts a 70% chance that this challenge: the likelihood that and many others — on executing the plans for hurricane season will bring 19 to 25 named a hurricane will hit the coast hurricane preparedness and recovery. storms, with seven to 11 of those becoming during a pandemic of the highly Normally, Sprayberry and officials from hurricanes — including three to six major contagious coronavirus. other state agencies would take their show hurricanes. As Coastwatch went to press in on the road, making in-person visits before early September, 15 storms already had been Mike Sprayberry, director of the state representatives from counties, cities, and towns named this season. Department of Public Safety’s Emergency in hurricane-prone areas. In less turbulent times — those with Management, said COVID-19 adds many cooler oceans and without the dampening new and unwanted challenges, especially with WHAT SOCIAL DISTANCING effects of an El Niño — the typical prediction shelters. MEANS TO SHELTERS would be 12 named storms, with six becoming He said his agency has “a good, solid Virtual conferencing is just one way hurricanes. plan” to deal with a hurricane during these that the pandemic has influenced the state’s North Carolina, like other states, has troubling times, but he didn’t downplay the hurricane preparedness planning. Others struggled to recover from the aftermath of seriousness of the additional problems a major include maintaining safe distancing in shelters, one hurricane after another. Now it faces a storm could create this year. a potential reduction in disaster relief from much bigger challenge: the likelihood that a “It’s important to be concerned,” other states, preparing to deal with already 24 coastwatch | autumn 2020 | ncseagrant.org coastwatch | autumn 2020 | ncseagrant.org 25 KNOW YOUR ZONE TELL YOUR NEIGHBORS The more people who know their zone, the A New Evacuation System Once you learn your zone, the website smoother the evacuation process becomes. for Coastal NC has plenty of resources to share with your • North Carolina Hurricane Guides BY DABNEY WEEMS community. Social media graphics, posters, and KnowYourZone.NC.gov even a children’s activity packet are available ReadyNC.org Know Your Zone, North Carolina’s new to download here. Use them to help spread the • Know Your Zone en español system of coastal evacuation zones, launched word about Know Your Zone. go.ncsu.edu/Conozca-Su-Zona earlier this summer. This tiered evacuation system focuses on areas most vulnerable to impacts from hurricanes, tropical storms, and other hazards. The campaign was implemented to NORTH CAROLINA simplify the evacuation process by assigning lettered evacuation zones in each county, based on areas of higher and lower risk of flooding. EVACUATION ZONES HOW DOES IT WORK? Local governments in 20 North Carolina coastal counties have drawn pre-determined Jorge Intriago/U.S. Army National Guard evacuation zones. As storms approach, local Typically, just after a hurricane hits, help comes pouring in from other states, officials will determine including swift water rescue boats and personnel, medical professionals, church organizations, which zones need to be and utility crews — but will the pandemic affect this response? evacuated and will order evacuations using the The state has also created evacuation we have a significant amount of PPE in stock, climate and health for the Environmental lettered zones. zones in an effort to make evacuating faster, but we can’t take our eyes off the ball.” Defense Fund. “For example, the low-income North Carolinians more organized, and efficient. (See Know Your Sprayberry said local government officials minority populations, especially in eastern can learn their zone by Zone on page 26.) The zones can be found on a can order more personal protective equipment North Carolina, and the impact of the entering their address into new interactive website, which will also update from the state with no questions asked. underlying disease factors that also contribute evacuation orders for the zones. In addition, “We’re not stopping ordering because we to the risk for coronavirus infections. an interactive map. You ReadyNC has a comprehensive website that know that we’re going to need it for building “We think of it as a double or triple can find the zone for your provides information about storm preparedness, our strategic state stockpile for PPE.” whammy, where they’re at increased risk for workplace, children’s school, and/or your loved evacuations, shelters, recovery, and the having a severe coronavirus infection. They ones, too. Visit KnowYourZone.NC.gov. coronavirus. HIGH RISKS FOR are more likely to have jobs where they’re MARGINALIZED potentially exposed to coronavirus, less likely DURING AN EMERGENCY DOES NORTH CAROLINA COMMUNITIES to have access to health care. It’s just a tsunami HAVE ENOUGH PPE? People living in marginalized of different variables that all contribute to sort Local officials will determine which zones Sprayberry said he is less concerned communities — typically poor minorities of higher risk,” she said. “Then you obviously should be evacuated. Areas in Zone A will KNOW YOUR about the availability of face masks and in low-lying, flood-prone areas — are the add the impact from hurricanes.” typically be evacuated first, followed by areas in other personal protective equipment should most susceptible to the coronavirus and to Sprayberry is aware of those concerns. N Zone B, etc. W E a hurricane strike. The state now has a major storms. Many of those people lack “We always make plans for S While all zones won’t be evacuated in significant amount of PPE in its warehouses, transportation or friends and family living transportation,” he said. “We can get buses. every event, emergency managers will work compared with the shortage that happened in inland where they could go to seek shelter from We have to put less people on the buses than with local media and use other outreach tools to March and April, Sprayberry said.