EMA assistant director urges residents to prepare for possible storms

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Covington County Emergency Management Agency assistant director Frank Shaffer said right now is the peak of storm systems and residents need to be prepared as a tropical storm may touch down in Covington County.

Shaffer said the last report of Tropical Storm Dorian puts it directly over the center of St. Lucia Island.

“As far as right now, the graphics are all showing that it will move over the Dominican Republic sometime Thursday morning,” Shaffer said. “The graphic shows that it will then move over the Atlantic and head to the East side of Florida by Sunday morning, around 8 a.m. That is the track of the storm, but that is all very uncertain. As far as how Covington County is going to be impacted, it is too early to tell.”

There is another storm in the Atlantic Ocean, but Shaffer said it is going to miss Alabama completely.

“Tropical depression six is moving up the eastern border,” Shaffer said. “The track for Dorian is heading straight for the tail of where that storm is now. So, where Dorian will go will depend on the currents of that water following storm six.”

Shaffer and the EMA is already asking residents to prepare for the two storms and any other storms that may hit the area.

“It only takes one,” Shaffer said. “You need to try your best to try and get things that you need. I’m not saying go ahead and storm the aisles for bread and water, but get things like batteries, prescription medicine and things like that in order. We know something is out there and it has the potential to come here. If people haven’t already texted our NIXEL program, they can text 888-777 and receive weather updates from us and we post all of the time to our Facebook wall, as well. I always say, the more information, the better.”