September 4, 2019 -- 1:30 pm
Hurricane Dorian is now a category 2 hurricane and has begun a slow northward movement off the coast of Florida at approximate latitude of Jacksonville. It is anticipated that heavy rainfall (6” – 10” up to 6” – 12”) and tropical storm force winds with the potential for hurricane force gusts in our area will begin as early as Wednesday afternoon, September 4th. The National Weather Service Charleston estimates that Dorian will be a category 2 hurricane and 35 – 50 miles offshore when it reaches Charleston. NWS Charleston cautions, that while that distance may appear substantial, the storm’s wind field is expanding. With midday high tide on September 5th, a storm surge inundation of 4' - 7' is expected. Isolated tornadoes are possible Wednesday afternoon and evening on September 4th. We urge residents to monitor National Weather Service updates for current information on the storm. The coast of Charleston County is currently under a Hurricane Warning (hurricane impacts expected within the next 48 hours). Charleston County EMS has advised that its personnel will not respond to calls when sustained winds reach 40 mph. As a matter of policy, Charleston County has two advisory conditions for high-span or exposed bridges: when sustained winds reach 30 mph it will declare a condition yellow, meaning high profile vehicles are to stay off those bridges; when sustained winds reach 40 mph it will declare a condition red meaning all vehicles are to stay off those bridges. The Town will issue notice to residents of the active advisory condition. St. Johns Fire District has received two high water vehicles and two Hum Vees and those will be out in the community on September 4th to familiarize attending National Guard personnel with the area. In the event of relocation of apparatus by SJFD, the Town will be informed and will publish that information. In the event of equipment relocation, residents should expect delays in fire and hazard response. Charleston County Emergency Management Department and the Town remain at readiness status "Storm Impacts Occurring or Imminent". At the special Town Council meeting held on Tuesday, September 3rd, Council approved a Declaration of a State of Emergency by which the Mayor is vested with certain powers to respond to emergency events as set forth in the ordinance (Town Code Sec.2-27). Town Hall closed at 2:30 pm on Tuesday, September 3rd, and will remain closed until further notice. Berkeley Electric Cooperative has not made a decision as to whether to pre-emptively cut power, but maintains that possibility as circumstances dictate. The Town will publish that determination when notified by BEC. Evacuated residents should not attempt to return to the Island until the Governor has lifted the evacuation order and the Town has confirmed that it is appropriate for residents to do so. The Town has established criteria for resident return which include availability of emergency services and sewer and water services and completion of debris removal from the roads within the Town. For emergency response call 911. For emergency response updates and announcements from the Town of Seabrook Island: Continue to monitor the Town's website (https://www.townofseabrookisland.org); Call the Town's toll-free number (888-314-3177); Follow the Town's TWITTER feed (twitter.com/seabrookislnd87); or Follow the Town's FACEBOOK page (facebook.com/townofseabrookisland) Property Owners with rental guests should forward this notice to their rental guests. The next Town update is expected to be afternoon on Thursday, September 5th, but will issue updates earlier as appropriate to the circumstances. September 4, 2019 -- 10:00 am
St. Johns Fire District has received two High Water vehicles and two Hum Vees from the National Guard to assist, if necessary, in our area. Those vehicles will be staffed with 8 National Guard personnel as well as with St. Johns Fire District personnel. The National Guard will be taking the vehicles around Seabrook Island sometime today, September 4th, to familiarize themselves with the area. St. Johns Fire District has also strategically placed the small boats that were provided by the Kiawah Island Community Association. St. Johns Fire District is tentatively planning to move personnel from Station 2 on Seabrook Island later in the afternoon of September 4th, but expects to leave a Medical Squad to respond to medical calls as long as weather permits. Fire Apparatus will respond to other fire and hazard emergencies, coming from a longer distance, as long as weather, wind or flooding permits. St. Johns Fire District will inform the Town when they relocate personnel and that information will be published by the Town. For emergency response call 911. For emergency response updates and announcements from the Town of Seabrook Island: Continue to monitor the Town's website (https://www.townofseabrookisland.org); Call the Town's toll-free number (888-314-3177); Follow the Town's TWITTER feed (twitter.com/seabrookislnd87); or Follow the Town's FACEBOOK page (facebook.com/townofseabrookisland) Property Owners with rental guests should forward this notice to their rental guests. The next Town update is expected to be afternoon on Wednesday, September 4th. September 3, 2019 -- 3:30 pm
Evacuated residents should not attempt to return to the Island until the Town has confirmed that it is appropriate to do so. Residents who have chosen not to leave the island should be aware that for security purposes, beginning Wednesday morning at 6:00 am, as they have done previously, the Charleston County Sherriff’s office will set up an access control point at the Freshfields Village traffic circle. It is anticipated that the access control point will remain staffed until the storm has passed. Once the access control point has been established, the Sherriff’s office will monitor traffic coming back onto the island. Accordingly, they will ask for demonstration of residency or property ownership such as a driver’s license, Club membership card, utility bill or similar proof of residency or property ownership. We have asked the officers on duty to use common sense letting people back onto the island. SIPOA has indicated that its security staff will continue to staff the gate as long as it’s safe to do so. September 3, 2019 -- 3:00 pm
Hurricane Dorian is now a category 2 hurricane and has begun slow a northward movement in the vicinity of the Bahamas. Governor McMaster’s evacuation order applicable to the Town of Seabrook Island remains in effect. All residents are urged to heed the evacuation order. It is anticipated that heavy rainfall (6” – 10”) and tropical storm force winds with the potential for hurricane force gusts in our area will begin as early as Wednesday afternoon, September 4th. Rainfall will likely exceed the threshold for flash flooding, and storm surge inundation of 4' - 7' is expected. We urge residents to monitor National Weather Service updates for current information on the storm. The coast of Charleston County is currently under a Hurricane Warning (hurricane impacts expected within the next 48 hours). When it arrives off the coast of Charleston, Dorian is expected to be a category 2 hurricane. Berkeley Electric Cooperative has informed the Town that it now contemplates the possibility of pre-emptive power outage to prevent damage to distribution equipment in the event of widespread flooding. The Town will issue notice to residents when BEC confirms that it will take that action. Charleston International Airport will close at 3:00 pm on Wednesday, September 4th and, at the earliest, reopen at 6:00 am on Friday, September 6th. Charleston County EMS has advised that its personnel will not respond to calls when sustained winds reach 40 mph. As a matter of policy, Charleston County has two advisory conditions for high-span or exposed bridges: when sustained winds reach 30 mph it will declare a condition yellow, meaning high profile vehicles are to stay off those bridges; when sustained winds reach 40 mph it will declare a condition red meaning all vehicles are to stay off those bridges. The Town will issue notice to residents of the active advisory condition. St. Johns Fire District will temporarily relocate equipment to higher ground in contemplation of flooding of Seabrook Island. Residents should expect delays in response while equipment is relocated. Beach Patrol suspended operations on Seabrook Island beaches on Monday, September 2nd, at 1:00 pm. Charleston County Emergency Management Department and the Town remain at readiness status "Storm Impacts Occurring or Imminent". At the special Town Council meeting held on Tuesday, September 3nd, Council approved a Declaration of a State of Emergency by which the Mayor is vested with certain powers to respond to emergency events as set forth in the ordinance (Town Code Sec.2-27). Town Hall will be closed at 2:30 pm on Tuesday, September 3rd and will remain closed until further notice. Anyone having official business with the Town should plan accordingly. Any resident who may require assistance with evacuation or who knows a resident they believe may require assistance with evacuation should contact the Town (843-768-9121) to provide name(s), address(es) and contact information before the closure of Town Hall. In contemplation of the closure of Town Hall, the deadline for filing Statements of Candidacy for the November 2019 election, now scheduled to expire on September 6th, will be extended on a day-for-day basis for the duration of the Town Hall closure. For emergency response call 911. For emergency response updates and announcements from the Town of Seabrook Island: Continue to monitor the Town's website (https://www.townofseabrookisland.org); Call the Town's toll-free number (888-314-3177); Follow the Town's TWITTER feed (twitter.com/seabrookislnd87); or Follow the Town's FACEBOOK page (facebook.com/townofseabrookisland) Property Owners with rental guests should forward this notice to their rental guests. The next Town update is expected to be afternoon on Wednesday, September 4th. September 2, 2019 -- 2:00 pm
Hurricane Dorian is now a category 4 hurricane and westward movement in the vicinity of the Bahamas has dramatically slowed. The timing of the expected northward turn remains uncertain. Governor McMaster issued an evacuation order effective at noon on Monday, September 2nd, applicable to the Town of Seabrook Island. All residents are urged to heed the evacuation order. It is anticipated that significant impacts will occur in the form of heavy rain and tropical storm force winds in our area beginning as early as late Wednesday, September 4th, or early Thursday, September 5th. Rainfall will likely exceed the threshold for flash flooding and storm surge inundation of 4' - 7' are expected. We urge residents to monitor National Weather Service updates for current information on the storm. When it arrives off the coast of Charleston, Dorian is expected to be a higher strength storm than Hurricane Matthew was when it impacted our community. Berkeley Electric Cooperative has informed the Town that it now contemplates the possibility of pre-emptive power outage to prevent damage to distribution equipment in the event of widespread flooding. The Town will issue notice to residents when BEC confirms that it will take that action. Charleston County EMS has advised that its personnel will not respond to calls when sustained winds reach 40 mph. As a matter of policy, Charleston County has two advisory conditions for high-span or exposed bridges: when sustained winds reach 30 mph it will declare a condition yellow, meaning high profile vehicles are to stay off those bridges; when sustained winds reach 40 mph it will declare a condition red meaning all vehicles are to stay off those bridges. The Town will issue notice to residents of the active advisory condition. St. Johns Fire District will temporarily relocate equipment to higher ground in contemplation of flooding of Seabrook Island. Residents should expect delays in response while equipment is relocated. Beach Patrol suspended operations on Seabrook Island beaches on Monday, September 2nd, at 1:00 pm. Following the lead of the Charleston County Emergency Management Department, the Town has increased its readiness status to "Storm Impacts Occurring or Imminent". The Town will hold a special meeting of Town Council at 1:30 pm on Tuesday, September 3rd, to take up a declaration of a State of Emergency and to take such other actions as deemed appropriate to the circumstances at that time. Town Hall will be closed at 2:30 pm on Tuesday, September 3rd, and will remain closed until further notice. Anyone having official business with the Town should plan accordingly. Any resident who may require assistance with evacuation or who knows a resident they believe may require assistance with evacuation should contact the Town (843-768-9121) to provide name(s), address(es) and contact information before the closure of Town Hall. For emergency response call 911. For emergency response updates and announcements from the Town of Seabrook Island: Continue to monitor the Town's website (https://www.townofseabrookisland.org); Call the Town's toll-free number (888-314-3177); Follow the Town's TWITTER feed (twitter.com/seabrookislnd87); or Follow the Town's FACEBOOK page (facebook.com/townofseabrookisland) Property Owners with rental guests should forward this notice to their rental guests. The next Town update is expected to be afternoon on Tuesday, September 3rd. Governor McMaster announced at his press conference held early evening Sunday, September 1st, that he has issued an evacuation order effective at noon on Monday, September 2nd, for coastal communities of South Carolina. This order includes the Town of Seabrook Island. All residents are urged to heed the evacuation order.
Town Hall will be closed at 2:30 pm on Tuesday, September 3rd, and will remain closed until further notice. Anyone having official business with the Town should plan accordingly. Any resident who may require assistance with evacuation or who knows a resident they believe may require assistance with evacuation should contact the Town (843-768-9121) to provide name(s), address and contact information. For emergency response call 911. For emergency response updates and announcements from the Town of Seabrook Island: Continue to monitor the Town's website (https://www.townofseabrookisland.org); Call the Town's toll-free number (888-314-3177); Follow the Town's TWITTER feed (twitter.com/seabrookislnd87); or Follow the Town's FACEBOOK page (facebook.com/townofseabrookisland) Property Owners with rental guests should forward this notice to their rental guests. The next Town update is expected to be afternoon on Monday, September 2nd. September 1, 2019 -- 3:00 pm
Hurricane Dorian is now a category 5 hurricane and westward movement in the vicinity of the Bahamas is continuing. The timing of the expected northward turn remains uncertain. In view of the increased strength of the storm it is anticipated that significant impacts will occur in our area beginning as early as late Tuesday, September 3rd, or early Wednesday, September 4th. Coastal areas have been experiencing flooding with high tides and on shore winds and that flooding will worsen with storm impacts. Once the expected northerly turn occurs, there will be increased precision and confidence in the forecast track and timing of local storm impacts. As storm impacts intensify, residents should be prepared for power outages. In view of holiday traffic and impending storm impacts, residents whose planning contemplates evacuation should prepare to evacuate earlier than they otherwise would. Residents and rental guests are encouraged to consider evacuating in advance of a formal order to do so. At his 2:00 pm press conference on September 1st, the Governor confirmed continued monitoring of the storm but did not issue an evacuation order. No evacuation order has been issued in the State. Charleston County Emergency Management Department remains at readiness status "Storm Impacts Likely", has fully activated its Emergency Operations Center and is prepared to raise its readiness status to "Storm Impacts Occurring or Imminent" on Monday September 2nd. The Town remains at readiness status "Storm Impacts Likely", expects to follow Charleston County's lead to increase its readiness status to "Storm Impacts Occurring or Imminent." The Town will hold a special meeting of Town Council at 1:30 pm on Tuesday, September 3rd, to take up declaration of a State of Emergency and to take such other actions as deemed appropriate to the circumstances at that time. Town Hall will be closed at 2:30 pm on Tuesday, September 3rd, and will remain closed until further notice. Anyone having official business with the Town should plan accordingly. Any resident who may require assistance with evacuation or who knows a resident they believe may require assistance with evacuation should contact the Town (843-768-9121) to provide name(s), address(es) and contact information. For emergency response call 911. For emergency response updates and announcements from the Town of Seabrook Island: Continue to monitor the Town's website (https://www.townofseabrookisland.org); Call the Town's toll-free number (888-314-3177); Follow the Town's TWITTER feed (twitter.com/seabrookislnd87); or Follow the Town's FACEBOOK page (facebook.com/townofseabrookisland) Property Owners with rental guests should forward this notice to their rental guests. The next Town update is expected to be afternoon on Monday, September 2nd. August 31, 2019 -- 5:00 pm
Hurricane Dorian is now a category 4 hurricane and westward movement has slowed in the vicinity of the Bahamas. The forecast track is for a northerly turn with the potential for landfall along the coast of Georgia, South Carolina or North Carolina. It is expected that storm movement over the next twenty-four to thirty-six hours will increase both precision and confidence in the forecast track. National Weather Service Charleston expects storm impacts including significant rainfall and tidal surges to be felt in Charleston beginning in the afternoon on Tuesday, September 3rd, and continuing through Wednesday and Thursday. Flooding in our area will be impacted by higher than normal tidal activity. As storm impacts intensify, residents should be prepared for power outages. The Town maintains its recommendation that residents begin making preparations with a focus on potential flood impacts. Residents whose emergency plans call for early evacuation should make arrangements for accommodations at their preferred evacuation locations. With potential for South Carolina landfall, the Governor has declared a State of Emergency for South Carolina to allow for exercise of emergency powers and to mobilize the National Guard. Charleston County Emergency Management Department has increased its readiness status to "Storm Impacts Likely", will fully activate its Emergency Operations Center on Sunday, September 1st, and continues to conduct daily Hurricane Dorian Tri-County Conference Calls. The Town has increased its readiness status to "Storm Impacts Likely" and will hold a special meeting of Town Council at 1:30 pm on Tuesday, September 3rd, to take up declaration of a State of Emergency and to take such other actions as deemed appropriate to the circumstances at that time. Any resident who may require assistance with evacuation or who knows a resident they believe may require assistance with evacuation should contact the Town (843 768 9121) to provide name(s), address(es) and contact information. For emergency response call 911. For emergency response updates and announcements from the Town of Seabrook Island: Continue to monitor the Town's website (https://www.townofseabrookisland.org); Call the Town's toll-free number (888-314-3177); Follow the Town's TWITTER feed (twitter.com/seabrookislnd87); or Follow the Town's FACEBOOK page (facebook.com/townofseabrookisland) Property Owners with rental guests should forward this notice to their rental guests. The next Town update is expected to be afternoon on Sunday, September 1st. August 30, 2019 -- 5:00 pm
Hurricane Dorian has strengthened to a category 3 hurricane and is forecast to reach category 4 strength as it gets nearer to the coast of Florida. A northward turn remains in the forecast track. However, the storm's westward movement has slowed and that has the effect of increasing uncertainty as to when that turn may occur. National Weather Service Charleston notes potential for heavy rains and coastal flooding in Georgia and southeastern South Carolina when the storm moves northward as expected. Flooding in our area will be impacted by higher than normal tidal activity. The Town maintains its recommendation that residents review their emergency preparedness plans and begin making preparations with a focus on potential flood impacts. Charleston County Emergency Management Department remains under "Normal Operations" readiness status, is conducting daily Hurricane Dorian Tri-County Conference Calls, and will change its readiness status as circumstances warrant. The Town is maintaining Normal Operations readiness status and does not expect to change its readiness status in advance of a change by Charleston County. Any resident who may require assistance with evacuation or who knows a resident they believe may require assistance with evacuation should contact the Town (843-768-9121) to provide name(s), address(es) and contact information. For emergency response call 911. For emergency response updates and announcements from the Town of Seabrook Island: Continue to monitor the Town's website (https://www.townofseabrookisland.org); Call the Town's toll-free number (888-314-3177); Follow the Town's TWITTER feed (twitter.com/seabrookislnd87); or Follow the Town's FACEBOOK page (facebook.com/townofseabrookisland) Property Owners with rental guests should forward this notice to their rental guests. The next Town update is expected to be afternoon on Saturday, August 31st. August 29, 2019 -- 4:00 pm
Hurricane Dorian remains a category 1 hurricane. Current forecasts project that it may reach category 4 strength as it gets nearer to the coast of Florida. Current track forecasts project a turn northward after landfall at Florida with the potential for causing heavy rains and flooding in Georgia and South Carolina. At the current rate of movement of the storm, it is expected that potential impacts for our area will become clearer in the next two days. Residents are encouraged to review their emergency preparedness plans and to begin making preparations with a focus on potential flood impacts. Charleston County Emergency Management Department remains under "Normal Operations" readiness condition, conducted its first Hurricane Dorian Tri-County Conference Call on August 29th, and will change its readiness condition as circumstances warrant. It is not expected that the Town will change its readiness condition in advance of a change by Charleston County. Any resident who may require assistance with evacuation or who knows a resident they believe may require assistance with evacuation should contact the Town (843-768-9121) to provide name(s), address(es) and contact information. For emergency response call 911. For emergency response updates and announcements from the Town of Seabrook Island: Continue to monitor the Town's website (https://www.townofseabrookisland.org); Call the Town's toll-free number (888-314-3177); Follow the Town's TWITTER feed (twitter.com/seabrookislnd87); or Follow the Town's FACEBOOK page (facebook.com/townofseabrookisland) Property Owners with rental guests should forward this notice to their rental guests. The next Town update is expected to be early afternoon on Friday, August 30th. |
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