2004 Hurricane Season

Wrightsville Beach officials plan for hurricane season

Wrightsville Beach officials reviewed the town’s hurricane operations plan during a workshop last week. Drawing on his hurricane experience and history, fire chief Frank Smith had the most to say, citing past examples as he prepared the board of aldermen to plan for the worst.

Smith said the Cape Fear coast hadn’t endured a worst case scenario since 1954 when Hurricane Hazel struck the beach. Many people measured modern storms against Fran in 1996, but that storm, and hurricanes in following years, did not cause any widespread structural damage, Smith said.

Storms like Hurricane Charley in 2004 did cause damage, destroying 11,000 homes, four fire stations and seven public schools in one county in Florida, but planning for the worst case was complicated by the fact that not all hurricanes were alike. Charley was a wind-driven event, but of three other hurricanes that hit Florida hard in 2004, Frances’ damage came from its duration, hovering overhead for 72 hours; Ivan had a storm surge of 18 feet; and rains from Jeanne caused inland flooding.

Smith said preseason preparedness was essential. Residents should have evacuation plans for their homes, pets and family members who might have special needs, and everyone should ready a personal disaster kit. He added that hurricane-track forecasting was improving. However, experience had shown that storm surge could not be reliably correlated with intensity, so the category system no longer included surge predictions.

If Wrightsville Beach had to be evacuated, Smith said, a command post would be established at First Citizens Bank on Eastwood Road. Town manager Bob Simpson said using the meeting facility next to Northeast Regional Library would solve many problems, but Mayor David Cignotti said New Hanover County still had not provided cost estimates. A proposal to use the library was broached months ago when the town met jointly with the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners.

Evacuation of Wrightsville Beach’s islands would take about six hours. After the hurricane passed, Smith said, the town would probably be on its own for 72 hours before outside relief arrived. Staff and emergency personnel would return first, then property owners would be allowed back temporarily for assessments. Private contractors might be allowed on the islands during the same time frame or might have to wait longer, and unrestricted access would come last.

gomembers, Inc. offers emergency hosting for hurricane-stricken ...

Herndon, VA — September 23, 2004

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2004 Atlantic Hurricane Season

Hurricanes Katrina & Rita: Coordination Between FEMA & the Red Cross Should be Improved for the 2006 Hurricane Season

2004 Pacific Hurricane Season, Timeline of the 2004 Pacific Hurricane Season, Hurricane Howard, Hurricane Darby, Hurricane Javier

2004 Atlantic Hurricane Season, 2004 Atlantic Hurricane Season, Hurricane Charley, Hurricane Frances, Hurricane Ivan

Encyclopedia of hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones