Hurricane Dorian Update #7

​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.