How to Prepare for Hurricane Irene

The National Weather Service has upgraded Irene to a Category 3 hurricane, as winds inside the storm have reached 115 mph. It is expected to hit Mid-Atlantic waters by Saturday.

In an advisory issued at 8 a.m. Wednesday, forecasters said the eye of the hurricane is currently headed toward the Crooked and Acklin Islands, located about 250 miles southeast of Nassau in the Bahamas.

Irene lumbered into the Bahamas at 9 mph Tuesday night and has turned northwestward, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm's projected path was adjusted steadily to the east throughout the day Tuesday. Forecasters no longer expect the center of the storm to make landfall in Florida at all.

In a press conference call with reporters, National Hurricane Center Director Bill Read said on Wednesday that the storm "could actually get stronger" as it continues to move through warm, tropical waters.  The latest reports indicate the storm is moving about 12 mph, headed west-northwest. Read predicts it will turn more northward on Thursday.

The eye of the hurricane will hover near or above North Carolina's Outer Banks on Saturday evening. Tropical storm-force winds could reach the Carolinas by Saturday morning," Read said.

"It’s also growing in size as it heads north," he said.

Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate said Mid-Atlantic residents should take time to devise an emergency plan.

"(The earthquake) reminded people that the unexpected can happen," Fugate said. "Many folks in the Mid-Atlantic, they still have time to prepare, but that time will run out."

The local weather forecast for the Washington, D.C. metro region calls for showers and thunderstorms through the weekend with a 100 percent chance of precipitation on both Saturday night and Sunday.

The Department of Defense issued a press advisory explaining it was prepared to postpone a planned NORAD flight exercise scheduled for midnight Thursday over the capital region in case of inclement weather.

How to Prepare

The Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management offers many online resources, including amobile app with emergency information, a directory of crucial phone numbers and more.

In addition, www.readynova.com has a suite of online tools to help residents and business owners prepare emergency plans and kits.  Creating a plan for your home or business should take just 15 minutes using this tool. A dozen jurisdictions in Northern Virginia, including Alexandria City and Fairfax County, launched the site with a Department of Homeland Security grant.

OEM will host a live call-in program at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6 that will focus on what to do in inclement weather and how to put together an emergency supply kit for your car, home or office.

Supplies

The Red Cross recommends having the following items on hand:

• Water—one gallon per person, per day (3­-day supply for evacuation, 2­-week supply for home)
• Food—non­perishable, easy ­to ­prepare items; can opener (3-­day supply for evacuation, 2-­week supply for home)
• Flashlight
• Battery ­powered or hand­ crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)
• Extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Medications (7-­day supply) and medical items
• Sanitation and personal hygiene items
• Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)
• Cell phones with chargers
• Family and emergency contact information
• Extra cash
• Emergency blanket

Communications and Transportation

Cellular phone access was extremely limited in the hours following Tuesday’s earthquake, but many people were still able to send email or text messages. People with land-based phones lines had more luck getting through to people.

Fairfax County and other jurisdictions reminded people yesterday to only call 9-1-1 for immediate medical and other emergencies.

In some cases, it may be safest to just stay where you are rather than venture onto the crowded roadways and trains. Emergency and government officials frequently use the news media to let the public know the best course of action, so try to look for news reports before making a decision.