Local leaders say no to mandatory evacuations

No evacuations will be ordered in the Lowcountry for Tropical Storm Hanna, but voluntary evacuations might still be called for.

Charleston County emergency staff announced the decision this afternoon after a conference among mayors and other local government officials.

The announcement was made as the storm finally began heading for the Southeast coast and started to pick up speed. The 5 p.m. National Hurricane Center update put the landfall bull’s eye on the North Carolina coast between Wilmington and Morehead City on Saturday. But forecasters warned that the storm's track will be toward Charleston until Friday afternoon and is expected to make only a gradual turn.

The storm’s forecast track and intensity doesn’t call for a mandatory evacuation and time is running out to get ready for one, said Cathy Haynes, Charleston County Emergency Preparedness director. But she and other local leaders urged residents to keep watching the storm and keep preparing. The National Weather Service, Charleston, said tropical storm winds and rain were possible in the Lowcountry starting Friday.

“There’s still a large uncertainty about what this storm is going to do,” she said. Whether to call for voluntary evacuations will be re-evaluated Thursday morning, she said.

“It’s important that nobody lets their guard down,” said Charleston Mayor Joe Riley. Isle of Palms Mayor Mike Sottile urged barrier island residents who aren’t comfortable riding out storm conditions to find a place to stay with family or friends.

“This could be a very dangerous storm. A wobble here, a wobble there, (landfall) could change very quickly,” he said.

County and city officials were preparing for possible flooding by cleaning storm drains and urged residents to make sure drains near their homes are cleaned of debris. North Charleston opened major storm drains in its low-lying areas.

The county’s information line will operate until 7 or 8 p.m. tonight and resume Thursday. The number is 202-7100, and in Spanish, 202-7191.

Tropical Storm Hanna began to move after a series of zigzags that surprised hurricane specialists and kept computer models from getting a bead on it. The models are not yet very effective when “steering winds” are weak and storms meander.

Forecasters are divided on how strong the storm will be — predictions vary from a strong tropical storm to a hurricane with 100 mph winds.

“So far Hanna has done what she wants to do. She has defied logic, so to speak, over the past few days. We’re all surprised that it’s just sort of down there meandering,” said Tom Kines, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather.com, a private forecasting company. The Post and Courier is an AccuWeather.com customer.

So far Wednesday, it's been a better-than-average "day at the beach," at Folly Beach. Mayor Carl Beckmann Jr. said that while city officials are keeping eyes on the projected track of tropical storm Hanna, the city is functioning as usual. With school back in session, few visitors could be seen on the shore, and the weather at midday was just about perfect, he said.

"It's pretty nice. The humidity is down and there is nobody around," he noted.

Beckmann said he is encouraged that the latest storm projections show Hanna landing a bit further up the Carolina coasts from the Charleston area. But he said he everyone should remain vigilant. He will attend a 3 p.m. meeting of Charleston County Emergency Operations meeting with other area officials.

Sullivan's Island Fire & Rescue will hold an emergency drill at 6 p.m. tonight for its volunteers to review what they need to do in the event of a storm.

Kiawah town officials met with Charleston County this morning and will meet again at 5:30 today at the county offices on Leeds Avenue. The town may initiate its CodeRed plan, which means town government will call residents and let them know of any voluntary or mandatory evacuation alerts from Charleston County or state government.

For more information, go to http://www.kiawahisland.org/EmergencyPreparedness/Default.aspx. The link has information about CodeRed, the Charleston Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan, what to do with pets during the storm and shelters.

Seabrook's town government meets at 3 p.m. with Charleston County to discuss what to do with the upcoming hazards Hanna poses to the Lowcountry. Town administrator Randy Pierce said officials will know better how to direct residents after that meeting.

The town has posted evacuation maps and general preparedness information at http://www.townofseabrookisland.org/999.html. The town's emergency number is 800-764-8404. Seabrook also has an icon for the CodeRed weather warning on the Web site, which sends out emergency notifications to those who register for it.

Colleton County's Emergency Preparedness director, Suzanne Gant, said in a press release that residents in coastal areas should stay tuned into information about Tropical Storm Hanna as it becomes available and to be prepared to evacuate immediately if advised to do so.

She also said that "residents who live well inland of the storm surge zone and not in vulnerable areas may not have to evacuate, and they should prepare to shelter inside their homes. They should protect their homes and gather supplies to last themselves and their families for three days after the storm makes landfall."

Recommended supplies include a gallon of water per person per day, non-perishable canned food, flashlights and a battery-powered radio and clock. For reasons of safety, she said residents should not use candles.

For more information on hurricane awareness and shelters in Colleton County, go to http://www.colletoncounty.org/public_safety/emergency_preparedness.aspx#hurricanes

James Island town officials are making preparations for a major storm, while hoping the effort won’t be necessary.

“We will go as a worse case scenario,” James Island Town Disaster and Emergency Coordinator Charlie Rhodes said at midday. He said that if the storm turns out to pose no danger to the island, the preparations that were made for it will serve as a good drill.

Meanwhile, the James Island District Fire Department is distributing sand bags. They are available at Station 4, 1834 Folly Road. A department spokesman said the bags are available but apparently no one has taken advantage of the offer.

Rhodes said he and other island officials conducted some “ride-arounds” Wednesday. A former James Island District Fire Chief, Rhodes is also representing the James Island Public Service District concerning storm preparations.

During the ride-arounds, Rhodes said he spoke to many newcomers who were uncertain about steps to be taken as a hurricane approaches. He said advice was given on evacuation routes and concerning actions families must make to assure safety for themselves and their pets. In some cases, residents were advised to secure lawn furniture and other items seen outdoors because the items could become projectiles on a hurricane-force wind.

“There are so many new people who have never been through a storm,” Rhodes said.

Rhodes said many island stores are busy with shoppers goods needed in case of a hurricane.

Steps have been taken, he said, to make sure vital town documents and records will be secure in case of a hurricane, Rhodes said. He said the town’s Camp Road town hall building is as secure as a “bank vault” once locked up, and he will stay there throughout a storm. Vital records, he said, have already been moved “a very, very secure place.”

For more updates, monitor Charleston.net for storm coverage.

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