NOTE: Each of the hurricane hints can be accessed at any time at tidelinesblog.com. Click on the “Hurricane Hints 2019” dropdown menu.
This list of resources for Hurricane Season 2019 was compiled from the Hurricane Hints posts and put in this format for easy access.
American Red Cross
Known worldwide for disaster relief, the ARC also has severe weather planning help. Go to the website to explore how to prepare for earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and thunderstorms. For information on free mobile apps, click here.
Are You Prepared for Flooding in Your Neighborhood?
A copy of this booklet, prepared and produced by the Town of Seabrook Island, is mailed to property owners each year. For a PDF copy, click here.
CodeRED Weather Warning
CodeRED Weather Warnings provide advanced notification of severe weather as soon as a bulletin is issued by the National Weather Service. To sign up, go to the Town of Seabrook Island website here.
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
The Community Emergency Response Team comprises Seabrook Island volunteers who have received emergency training to assist the public during emergencies. They are affiliated with Lowcountry CERT and the Federal CERT program. To read more about their role, click here. To see the Town’s Comprehensive Emergency Plan, click here.
Emergency Evacuation Assistance
For assistance with transportation during an emergency evacuation, call the Town of Seabrook Island at 843-768-9121 to register your name and contact information with them. They maintain a list of people who may need assistance with transportation to an emergency shelter. The Charleston County Emergency Management Department (843-746-3800) will provide buses from the Island Center Executive Office at 3690 Bohicket Road to the nearest available shelter.
Hurricane Info from Charleston County
The Charleston County website has a wealth of information such as the 32-page Hurricane Guide, a list of items for an emergency kit, and links for animal-friendly hotels, evacuation zones, and shelter lists (scroll down, left-hand column).
National Hurricane Center
The National Hurricane Center, a division of the National Weather Service, is responsible for tracking and predicting weather systems. The National Weather Service is a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The National Weather Service for Charleston provides up-to-date information about current and forecast weather conditions and provides impact graphics, storm surge height, storm warnings and watches.
Post and Courier Hurricane Wire
The Post and Courier launched Hurricane Wire, a brand new pop-up newsletter and special section to help continue to improve their storm coverage.
Each week they will report what’s brewing in the Atlantic, what the experts are saying this season, some history from past storms and even provide special maps and data visualizations to help you make sense of it all. The newsletter will deploy to inboxes on Thursday mornings through November 14, with more frequency during breaking news weather events. Sign up here.
Seabrook Island Emergency Preparedness
Published by the Town of Seabrook Island, this is a helpful reference for full and part-time residents as well as renters and owners of rental properties. It contains useful tips and resources such as phone numbers and websites. Access it here.
Smart911
This service helps 9-1-1 protect your family by providing more information to first responders. For more information, click here. If you have already signed up, don’t forget that you need to review your Smart911 Safety Profile at least once every 6 months.
SmartHub
SmartHub provides account access and two-way communication to Berkeley Electric Cooperative, Inc., online or via your mobile device. Manage payments, notify customer service of account and service issues, check your usage and receive special messaging from your provider. SmartHub is available on Android and iOS smartphones and tablets as well as on the internet. Go to the app store on your mobile device and look for SmartHub. Once the app is installed, select Berkeley Electric Cooperative, Inc., as your provider and follow the set-up instructions.
South Carolina 2019 Hurricane Guide from SCEMD
The South Carolina Hurricane Guide is updated annually by SCEMD in collaboration with local and state partners of the SC Emergency Response Team. All information contained in the guide is valid at the time of publishing each year but is subject to change depending on actual storm conditions.
Town of Seabrook Island Comprehensive Emergency Plan
This will guide the ongoing efforts to prepare for emergencies and disasters and provide a framework for responding to them while coordinating with other government bodies. To access it, click here.
Tree Trimming and Removal Policies
Check with Adrea Hughes at the SIPOA office to complete the necessary paperwork. Click here to review the policies regarding tree removal/trimming found in Appendix L, Tree and Natural Vegetation Preservation/Removal Policy. Click here to review Appendix R, Tree Trimming/Pruning Guidelines.
Twitter
Both Tidelines and the Town of Seabrook Island (SeabrookIslnd87) communicate through Twitter feeds. Sign up in advance of inclement weather to receive up-to-the-minute communications regarding current conditions. For information on TidelinesAlert, and how to sign up for Twitter, click here. The Town’s Twitter feed is SeabrookIslnd87. [Note there is no “a” in Islnd].
Other Information
Evacuation Route
The South Carolina Department of Public Safety is responsible for publishing the evacuation route for the Town of Seabrook Island to be used in the case of an emergency such as flooding or a hurricane. Click here for a copy of the map.
Local weather updates:
Local radio stations WEZL 103.5 FM radio, WIWF 96.9 FM radio, and ETVradio 89.3 FM radio, are participants in the nationwide Emergency Alert System.
Local television stations:
Live5 weather, Storm Team 2, ABCNews 4
Returning to Seabrook Island
The Town of Seabrook Island will decide when people can return to the island. They will not allow residents or property owners to return until utilities have been restored and the roads are made passable. To get updates from the Town, you can:
- Call 888-314-3177
- Go to the Town website here.
- The Town also has a Twitter feed, SeabrookIslnd87. [Note there is no “a” in Islnd]
South Carolina Department of Public Safety’s websiteincludes information on lane reversals as well as information on evacuation routes from other locations in South Carolina.
South Carolina Emergency Management Division provides lists of resources plus weather alerts.
Helpful Mobile Apps for iOS and Android Devices
[NOTE: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.]
AAA Mobile
This app provides access to trusted AAA services including trip planning, discounts, and roadside assistance, and a scannable AAA membership card is available to members.
iExit
Although iExit doesn’t give directions, it is invaluable for knowing what’s available along your interstate route. After launch, it will find your location and can show what services are available at each interstate exit ahead as well as service areas and rest stops on the interstate. Services are all within 1.5 miles of the exit and include such things as restaurants, lodging, fuel, campgrounds, hospitals, and miscellaneous services like drugstores and banks. The newest version allows you to access the information before starting your trip by choosing “Select Any Highway” from the front page.
GasBuddy
This app locates the gas stations with the lowest-priced gas nearby. Results can be filtered by price, location, brand, and amenities like restaurants and restrooms.
SC Emergency Manager
The SC Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) has a free mobile app that allows users to build emergency plans, keep track of disaster preparedness kits and create emergency contacts. It also has a function to document damage to homes following a storm. The app allows you to convert your phone flashlight into strobes that give the Morse code signal for “SOS.” The app also allows the phone to create a “very, very, very loud” siren noise.
Waze Navigation and Live Traffic
Waze communicates instantly about traffic, construction, police, accidents, and more with user-submitted data. Waze can offer alternative routes if available.
Xfinity
A number of Xfinity apps could be helpful in an emergency situation. Click here to explore options.
For more suggestions, see Mobile Apps for Emergencies on the SCEMD webpage here.