May 25, 2013
EMA officials met again today to view a webinar by the National Weather Service and discuss Isaac.
The agenda is to take action immediately.
"We're here to provide protection and service to our citizens and we need to do that in the most efficient way possible. If we're forecasted to receive ten to twelve inches of rain and winds of 35 to 45 miles an hour, we will have significant responses. And you don't want to look at your play book or develop your playbook at that point. You wanna know each play that you're gonna run."
Forecast tracks show the storm has shifted to the west, but officials say that Isaac still poses a large threat to the Wiregrass area starting as early as Monday night.
"Even though the storm is making a westward movement at this time, we still need to be prepared. This is a large storm and it has wide bands. It has a lot of potential for rain and flooding issues still."
Updates that Houston County EMA officials have given so far include…
"Things like ensuring that we have an adequate number of sandbags on hand that can be filled as early as tomorrow morning as rainfall projections increase. We will begin preparing for that and developing a policy of where they will be distributed and how many will be distributed to each resident as they come through."
"If things get really bad, of course we'll open up our primary shelter, which will be the Westgate one. We've also addressed a plan for medical needs and we'll open that if it's needed. Right now it's uncertain."
And school closings were also addressed.
"We have a teleconference tomorrow with almost all of district 3 superintendents, which is most of the schools in southeastern Alabama and hopefully by then we'll know more and have more information about Tuesday and Wednesday. And hopefully, we'll be able to make an announcement of some kind tomorrow afternoon."
Officials say if you haven't prepared for this storm yet, then you need to do so immediately.
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