Following Governor Larry Hogan’s declaration of a state of
emergency across the state of Maryland, Dorchester County and the City of
Cambridge are expected to enact their own declarations of emergency Monday in
preparation for landfall of Hurricane Florence. Expected landfall for the
Category 4 storm is still difficult to predict, but forecasters believe there
is potential for life-threatening conditions, flooding, high winds and
dangerous conditions in waterways as early as Thursday.
Dorchester County enacted its Emergency Operations Center,
effective 8 a.m. Tuesday, and will be managed by its Emergency Services
Department until storm preparation and recovery have been completed. The
department will receive regular updates from the National Weather Service and
work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Maryland Emergency
Management Agency (MEMA) to ensure adequate resources throughout the impacts of
Florence.
Residents are being encouraged to make a plan, make a kit,
stay informed and ‘Know Your Zone.’
·
MAKE A PLAN: Despite the uncertain path
of Florence, there are a number of preventative measures residents can begin
now to ensure the safety of their families and neighbors, as well as the
protection of property. You can access a list of suggestions online.
· MAKE A KIT: You may have thought ahead and purchased supplies, but do you have a manual can opener to use your canned foods if electricity is out? How about a deck of cards to keep your family occupied? Or, emergency medical supplies? You can find a great list online.
·
STAY INFORMED: Residents are urged to register
for Emergency Alerts on the Dorchester County website.
They will go through a simple registration process, which will allow them to
receive text message or email alerts from Dorchester County Emergency Services.
This registration information is private and will only be used to report
important emergency information. Information will also be shared on the
Facebook pages of Dorchester County Dept. Emergency Services and City of
Cambridge Facebook pages as it becomes available.
·
KNOW YOUR ZONE: MEMA’s prepared
evacuation zones can be found online.
Residents are urged to know which zone in which they reside, as evacuation due
to storm surge may reference these zones. Evacuations may include other areas
outside of these zones if rain-related flooding or other safety concerns
require it, but understanding your proximity to these zones may be important.
If you are in a life threatening
situation, please call 911. To report
flooded roadways or downed trees please call 410-228-2222.
