Most emergencies that affect Topsail Beach are weather related events such as tropical storms and hurricanes. This section is provided as a public service to help our citizens and visitors to prepare for these events and deal with the aftermath.
If an evacuation is ordered, the Town's administrative offices, Police Department and Fire Department will relocate to an off-island Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Phone numbers for the EOC will be posted on the home page of this web site.
WHAT YOU CAN BE DOING TO PREPARE NOW
As we are all aware, it is hurricane season here in North Carolina. Our goal at Town Hall is to plan, prepare and stay informed during disasters and emergencies. This week’s Hurricane Preparedness tip is, Re-entry Decals.
Town officials are aware that everyone will be anxious to return to their homes as soon as possible. It is important to locate your re-entry decal now, before a potential storm. Click this link for an informative flyer on Re-Entry Decals and the form to designate an agent for can be found at the bottom of this page or under our "Document Manager" page. All agent forms should be returned to TB police department.
We remind everyone it is important to stay informed and to regularly check weather threats through local news, our town webpage (www.topsailbeachnc.gov) and social media.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Town Hall at (910) 328-5841
HURRICANE PLANNING
The Town of Topsail Beach works to refine and improve its Hurricane Plan on a continual basis. In addition, the three Topsail Island Towns are finding ways to coordinate and improve the efficiency of re-entries. Information contained herein is intended to be just a small part of what your Hurricane Planning should include.
Although each of the island's towns has a separate disaster plan, the towns work together to coordinate evacuation and re-entry procedures as necessary. The three towns recommend you follow some basic guidelines and learn important terminology in the event of a hurricane or severe storm threatens the area. Planning and preparation is the key to minimizing damage and ensuring the town's services are restored as quickly as possible. Please review this information completely and begin planning your responses today.
HURRICANE PREPARATION
Before HURRICANE SEASON make your plans as to what you intend to do if a hurricane threatens. Topsail Beach residents should plan to leave their homes. Decide now where you will go and how you will get there. In an evacuation, public shelters will be opened, but these should be used only as a last resort. If possible, you should plan to stay with a friend or relative or in a motel well inland. Regardless of your actions, plan on supporting yourself and family for 72 hours. The Atlantic hurricane is from June to November, but the most active hurricane months are August, September and October.
If a HURRICANE WATCH is issued for Pender County, a hurricane is threatening, but not necessarily imminent. Fuel and service family vehicles, and continue to monitor radio, TV or NOAA Weather Radio for bulletins. A hurricane watch means it is possible that the watch area may have hurricane conditions in 24 to 48 hours.
If a HURRICANE WARNING is issued for Pender County, it is very possible that the county could experience hurricane conditions in less than 24 hours. Listen constantly to radio and TV and begin preparing for the storm. When landfall is expected within 24 hours, Emergency Departments will notify residents and visitors of an evacuation.
- Prepare for high winds.
- Anchor objects outside.
- Protect windows and other glass.
- Boats on trailers: move close to house and fill with water.
- Boats in water: check mooring lines and leave them.
- Take valuable and personal papers.
- If you have to evacuate leave as soon as possible. Driving conditions may deteriorate quickly.
EVACUATION PROCEDURES
Evacuation orders from each town provide and organized and coordinated exit from the island. As a guideline, the towns issue an evacuation orders approximately 24 hours before the expected landfall. You can learn of an evacuation order by listening to local media, watching the local cable access channel for the evacuation message or listen for emergency vehicles announcing and sounding sirens after a state of Emergency is declared and an order to evacuate is issued.
Main evacuation routes leaving Pender County (Highways 210,50 and 53) flood quickly during heavy rains. You may want to leave the island before the evacuation order to avoid increased traffic.
When evacuating take supplies such as non-perishable foods, water, medication, first aide kit, candles, matches, flashlights, radio, extra batteries, can opener, blankets, pillows, driver's license, insurance papers, property inventory, cash or checks (ATM machines and banks in the area could be shut down for days or weeks), reading material and plenty of patience.
AFTER LANDFALL AND RE-ENTRY PROCEDURES
No two evacuation or re-entry processes will be alike, and it is difficult to predict a time frame of when re-entry will occur. Town officials are aware that everyone will be anxious to return to their homes as soon as possible, but two things must occur before residents and property owners are allowed re-entry:
Damage Assessment Teams must complete evaluation reports so the Town will be eligible for federal disaster assistance (this could take several hours or days depending on the severity of the storm). A relative amount of safety must be established (roads and debris need to be cleared for safe passage).
Re-entry may have to be restricted for a while even after damage is initially assessed and roads made passable. The public's understanding and cooperation is greatly appreciated.
Police will be located at each bridge to the Island, to check Re-Entry Decals or identification indicating property ownership or residency.
New re-entry annual decals are mailed to residents and property owners to the mailing address on their water bill. Decals issued before the current year will not be honored for re-entry. New residents who need a sticker should contact Town Hall. If you do not have a decal, reasonable identification will be accepted as a re-entry pass, such as a driver's license, recent water, tax, or electric bill indicating local ownership or residency.
Re-entry Decals are issued as follows:
- Properties with one owner - receive two decals to the mailing adress used for utility billing.
- Properties with multiple owners - two decals will be sent to the mailing address on the water bill. The owners should decide who will be most likely to need the stickers for re-entry.
- Person who own more than one property - will receive two decals to the mailing address considered their 'primary' property to the mailing address on that utility bill.
- Families with more than two vehicles - apply hurricane re-entry decal to the vehicles that will be most likely to be used for re-entry immediately after the storm when road condition may be poor.
- Residents who are long-term renters - can obtain two decals from Town Hall by presenting proof of residency and picture ID.
If decals are sold with vehicle or damaged, please try and scrape off remaining portion or supply documentation to Town Hall and there will be a replacement cost of $10. Other forms of proof of ownership or residency, such as a recent utility bill or tax notice and a picture ID, can be used for re-entry. This should be done before a hurricane threatens, as Town employees will be extremely busy when the storm is eminent.
RE-ENTRY GUIDELINES
The nature and severity of the storms and the level of damage in the Town determine re-entry procedures. Re-entry and access may be allowed to temporarily secure and stabilize property, with no permanent repairs allowed at that time. If you want to designate someone else to secure your property, you must complete a Agent Designation Form and file it with the Topsail Beach Police Department. (Forms should be submitted well before they might be needed because town staff will be occupied with securing buildings and records as a storm approaches.)
All emergency proclamations must be obeyed which typically include items such as: Access limited to your own property, curfews, restricted travel, restrictions on type or number of vehicles allowed, and acceptance of risk upon entering the town during early re-entry. Priority is given to restoring services and ensuring that roads are passable. Re-entry access may be terminated at any time to insure restoration of services. All emergency proclamations will be strictly enforced.