The following information came from the City of Portsmouth in an eMail message. As it does not appear in its entirety on the city web site, we are sharing the content here as a public service.
Good Afternoon:
Portsmouth City Manager and Director of Emergency Management, Dr. L. Pettis Patton, has issued a Declaration of Local Emergency due to the threat of Hurricane Florence impacting the City of Portsmouth. The Declaration went into effect this morning, Monday, September 10th, at 8:30 a.m.
At 6 p.m. this evening, the Portsmouth City Council’s scheduled Public Work Session will be dedicated to staff presentations, discussions, and updates on the topic of the City’s preparations for Hurricane Florence. The Public Work Session will be held in the City Council Chamber, Portsmouth City Hall, 801 Crawford Street, 6th floor.Presentations will include:
- Current forecast and update
- Sheltering
- Communications/Media Relations
- Community Relations/Counseling
- Streets and Highways
- Know Your Zone – Evacuation Routes
- Public Utilities and Public Works/Waste Management Update
-The Tuesday, September 11th, Public Work Session, the Regular Meeting of City Council, and the 9-11 Never Forget Remembrance Ceremony have been cancelled.
The Department of Public Works announces that all Waste Management services- trash, bulk, and recycling collections- will be cancelled from 5 p.m. on Tuesday, September 11th, until further notice.
As the City of Portsmouth’s Emergency Management staff and all City Departments are hard at work in preparing for Hurricane Florence, citizens and businesses are urged to get ready and prepare, also. FEMA’s link: Disasters Happen. Prepare Now. Learn How is a helpful tool and resource for your personal preparations.
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT— You Need To…
– Know Your Zone! Find out today if you do not know your evacuation zone at: http://www.vaemergency.gov/hurricane-evacuation-zone-lookup/.
– Make a Kit of emergency and battery-operated supplies and tools, including a weather radio; plenty of batteries; non-perishable food items; plenty of drinking water; manual can openers; medications; various hygiene and first-aid items; cash money; cell phone car chargers, etc.;
– Make a Plan of how you will direct and communicate with your family members during and after the storm; how you will secure lawn items and protect your interior household items and your property; how you will function if you lose power, when you will gas up your vehicles in advance of the storm, etc.; and
– Stay Informed and tuned in to the local news media and weather channels before, during, and after the storm so that you will know the forecast, heed all warnings and directions from emergency management officials – which could include city shelter announcements, mandatory evacuation orders, etc.
Please take the time NOW to purchase, gather, do all of the “etc.” items and actions that will be important as part of your personal preparations!
The City of Portsmouth has established a Help Desk for citizens with questions or concerns about Hurricane Florence preparedness and municipal services during this weather event. The number is (757) 407-9143.