It's Hurricane Season: Make a Plan, Build a Kit, Stay Informed

June 2024

The Atlantic hurricane season, a period of heightened risk for our coastal communities, begins on June 1 and concludes on November 30. This six-month window is when we urge the public to be prepared for any potential hurricane disaster. Our message for disaster preparation is straightforward: devise a plan, assemble an emergency kit, and stay informed. Adhering to these three steps is the most effective way to safeguard your family from the impact of a disaster.

South Carolina coastal communities like Hilton Head Island are vulnerable and face the most significant threat from these treacherous storms. As a coastal Town, we stay vigilant throughout the season. But before the season begins, our Emergency Manager Tom Dunn leads our staff through training exercises and ensures the Town is equipped to respond when the threat of hurricanes arises. He spends considerable time giving presentations on evacuations, hurricane zones, and Town preparations to community groups. Likewise, we regularly encourage our community residents, visitors, and businesses to take the necessary precautions.

The Town has developed comprehensive plans to respond effectively to disasters, including strategies to expedite and ease our recovery efforts by establishing an emergency reserve account to fund these activities and facilitating rapid re-establishment of our community following a hurricane or other disaster.

In the event of a potential or actual storm strike, your preparedness is key to a successful pre- and post-disaster scenario. To assist you in this, the Town has made available a range of resources on our website, including the Emergency Preparedness Field Guide and a more extensive Guide to Emergency Preparedness. These guides contain valuable information on understanding the impact of disasters and planning for them. You can access and download both resources from the Town's website at hiltonheadislandsc.gov.

In your planning, you should assume that essential services such as electricity, water, gas, and telephones may not be available for some time. This is why it is critical for everyone to know what actions and precautions to take before, during, and after an emergency. Additionally,

• Learn the threats that we face on Hilton Head Island.
• Use common sense, follow official instructions, and stay informed.
• Take a first aid and CPR course.
• Build an emergency kit.
• Use our field guide to make an emergency plan based on your needs or situation. It includes helpful checklists and sections for your individualized plan information.
• Follow official sources of information including but not limited to the Town, SC Emergency Management Division and the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office. During major storms, different individuals and organizations tend to flood social media with information that isn't always accurate. We work very closely with emergency management agencies to ensure we have the latest information to provide to the public.

Finally, Hilton Head Island Emergency Manager Tom Dunn is available to give presentations about emergency preparedness to local businesses and organizations and at community meetings. It is an excellent opportunity to ask questions and learn first-hand about the Town's experiences with hurricanes and our efforts to prepare for, respond to, and recover from them. If you want to schedule a presentation, contact our Fire Rescue Emergency Management Office at 843-682-5156.