-Information courtesy the Vance County Government Facebook page
Due to the weather, all Vance County Solid Waste Convenience Sites will close at 3 p.m. today, September 13, and will re-open on regular schedule Monday, September 17, 2018.
-Information courtesy Brian K. Short, Director of Emergency Operations, Henderson-Vance County Emergency Operations
In preparation for Hurricane Florence, Vance County will be opening an emergency shelter at the former Eaton Johnson Middle School building, located on Beckford Drive in Henderson at 5 p.m. today. Please do not arrive prior to that time and please eat before you arrive as food may not be available at typical meal times.
If you have a pet that you wish to shelter, you will need to take them to the Vance County Animal Shelter, located on Brodie Road in Henderson. Your pet will remain there and you will report to the emergency shelter at the school. You and your pet will be reunited after the storm.
Please remember to bring essential items with you, such as necessary medications, a change of clothes, toiletry items, a pillow and blanket, snacks and other comfort items. These items will not be provided to you, so pack smart. If you are a resident with special needs, you will need to bring essential, life-sustaining items with you to the shelter and your caregiver will need to remain in the shelter with you through the storm.
NO WEAPONS OF ANY KIND WILL BE ALLOWED IN THE SHELTER AND LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL BE PRESENT.
This is an emergency shelter only that is being established for the storm and it will promptly close as soon as the winds subside and conditions are safe to do so.
Updated Wednesday, Sept. 12 at 11 a.m.
WIZS will be bringing you updates on Hurricane Florence as new information is received. Please check the WIZS website, Facebook page and listen live to WIZS 1450 AM and 100.1 FM for updates throughout the week. The latest briefing from the National Weather Service can be found any time by clicking here.
Information is provided courtesy Brian K. Short, director of Henderson-Vance County Emergency Operations.
(Click here for WIZS audio of this Story)
Brian K. Short, director of Henderson-Vance County Emergency Operations, was on Wednesday’s edition of WIZS Town Talk program to provide updates on Hurricane Florence as of 11 a.m. Florence has taken a more southerly turn and, at the moment, presents less of a threat to the local area.
“It’s safe to say our situation looks significantly better than it did 24 hours ago,” said Short. “If the storm takes the south or southwest track that they think it will, our impact will be much, much less than expected this time yesterday.”
Short urges caution even with an improved forecast, “It will still make impact as a major storm. I don’t believe we need to let our guard down because things can change with little or no notice.”
The present forecast shows wind gusts of approximately 25-35 mph and rainfall of 3-5 inches for the local area. The likelihood of flooding and flash flooding has also decreased over recent hours.
Florence is currently expected to make landfall around mid-afternoon on Friday but so much still depends on the speed at which it moves. “The forward momentum of the storm has picked up, but it is expected to stall later today or tomorrow,” Short said.
Yesterday, officials discussed opening the former Eaton Johnson Middle School building, 500 N. Beckford Dr., Henderson, mid-day on Thursday. According to Short, the change in forecast may prompt the shelter to be opened as late as Thursday evening, Friday morning, or, depending on Florence’s path, not at all.
If opened, the shelter would provide physical refuge from the storm but would not provide food, clothing or supplies. “This would be a place to stay only. You would need to bring the things you could not live without but don’t pack like you’re going on vacation,” said Short.
A decision about the shelter’s opening is expected later today.
-Press Release, Maria Parham Health
Effective immediately, Maria Parham Health has initiated its emergency response plan and is proactively taking steps to prepare for the potential impact of Hurricane Florence. The facility’s top priority is to continue providing the highest quality care possible while ensuring the safety of patients and their families, employees and providers – especially in a potentially emergent situation.
As part of its emergency response plan, Maria Parham Health is diligently preparing employees and providers to ensure they are well-equipped to serve the community during this critical time of need. Extra staff will be available to accommodate higher patient volumes and to support the transfer of patients to neighboring facilities, as needed. Hospital leaders are working around the clock to ensure that the facility will have the appropriate capacity and supplies to continue caring for patients and supporting staff in the days ahead.
Maria Parham is closely collaborating with the Emergency Management office in North Carolina and Vance County to stay abreast of the latest storm developments, collaborate on appropriate response protocols and provide updates to the community. The facility intends to share regular updates via media alerts, its website and social media platforms regarding potential facility challenges that may impact certain patient care services in the immediate days ahead. The community should be advised that in the event of a widespread power outage, the hospital has the ability to generate its own power, as needed.
At this time, the hospital and its Emergency Department remain open and are fully operational. If you have an appointment scheduled this week with a provider in one of the hospital’s clinics, please call that office directly to confirm if they will be open.
Please be sure to check the hospital’s website at mariaparham.com and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MariaParhamHealth frequently for updates throughout the duration of the storm.
-Information courtesy Esther J. McCrackin, City Clerk, City of Henderson
Due to the impending hurricane, City crews are doing all they can to reduce flooding and other hazardous situations throughout the City.
During this time, our Public Safety, Public Works and other crews will be receiving a large call volume so please limit your calls to true emergencies. Work will be prioritized according to the greatest need.
YOU can help:
Other:
-Information courtesy Lt. Chris Ball, Henderson Police Department
On August 28, 2018, the Henderson Police Department responded to a call for service at the Marathon gas station on Dabney Drive beside Union Bank. On the scene behind the store, a body of a deceased middle-aged African American male was found. The medical examiner was contacted and identification was later made through the State Medical Examiner’s Office.
Pending proper identification of the deceased and notification of the next of kin, the Henderson Police Department has only just now been able to release the following: the individual was identified as Kenneth Durham. No foul play is suspected.
-Information courtesy Tanya Evans, District Manager, Duke Energy
Duke Energy is looking for approximately 5,000 hotel rooms to house power restoration crews coming to the region to assist with storm restoration. There is a significant shortage of hotel rooms due to coastal evacuations. We anticipate many festivals and local events around the state will be canceled due to the weather.
My request is that you accelerate your decision to postpone or cancel these events to free up hotel rooms for power restoration crews. We are hoping that decisions will be made as soon as possible so we can begin deploying crews Thursday night near areas of expected significant damage. Thank you for your assistance.
-Tanya Evans
