PHASE ONE (A) ASSESSMENT UPDATE
HURRICANE FLORENCE EVENT
24 SEP 2018 (7:00 a.m. UPDATE)
ISLAND IS STILL UNDER PHASE ONE (A)
PROJECTED DATE FOR RE-ENTRY TO THE ISLAND IS STILL NOT KNOWN AT THIS TIME AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO PREDICT UNTIL FLOODWATERS ARE LOWERED.
DUKE ENERGY ISLAND ASSESSMENT INDICATED OVER 50% OF THE PHASE I TRANSFORMERS WERE EITHER UNDERWATER, COVERED BY SAND, AND/OR LIKELY IMPACTED BY SALT-WATER INTRUSION TO THE EXTENT THAT POWER WILL NOT BE RESTORED TODAY. AS WITH THE FLOODING AND UNKNOWN POTENTIAL FOR RE-ENTRY, SO IS THE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME WHEN POWER WILL BE RESTORED.
VILLAGE UTILITIES - INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTIAL HOMES, AS WITH THE PERCENTAGE OF DUKE TRANSFORMERS, ARE MANY WITH SEWER PUMPS SUBMERGED THAT IF POWER WERE RESTORED, WOULD HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PUMP FLOODWATERS TO THE TREATMENT PLANT. THESE PUMPS WILL HAVE TO BE TURNED OFF PRIOR TO POWER RESUMING THEREBY MAKING THE HOME "UNINHABITABLE".
THE ISLAND STILL REMAINS UNDER A STATE OF EMERGENCY ALONG WITH BRUNSWICK COUNTY AND A NUMBER OF MUNICIPALITIES LOCATED WITHIN AND INCLUDES A NIGHTLY CURFEW FOR BRUNSWICK COUNTY EACH NIGHT UNTIL SEPTEMBER 24TH AS NCDOT ROAD CREWS WORK THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT MAKING NEEDED REPAIRS.
BHI MARINA & DEEP POINT MARINA REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
AT THIS TIME,
DUKE ENERGY POWER HAS STILL NOT BEEN RESTORED TO THE ISLAND
AND WE DO NOT HAVE AN ESTIMATED TIME FOR RESTORATION.
PUBLIC UTILITIES & WATER PRODUCTION STATUS:
THE VILLAGE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT IS ONLY PROVIDING WATER TO THOSE FACILITIES IN SUPPORT OF THE EOC. THIS INCLUDES THE EOC, UTILITIES, PUBLIC WORKS & MARITIME MARKET.
THOSE INDIVIDUALS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE WATER DURING TIMES WHEN THE WATER IS TURNED ON FOR EOC OPERATIONS ARE POTENTIALLY PRODUCING WASTE THAT IS NOT MAKING IT TO THE PROPER LOCATION FOR TREATMENT!
ROAD CONDITIONS & FLOODING:
Flooded roads still too deep to travel down with electric & ICE vehicles include portions of Federal Road (west of Kinnakeet Way), West Bald Head Wynd, intersection of SBHW & Federal Road at the Conservancy, Stede Bonnet Wynd, Edward Teach and Edward Teach Extension, and Muscadine Wynd.
SUPPORT WITH THE NC ARMY NATIONAL GUARD ON RECOVERY EFFORTS:
NC Army National Guardsmen were on island yesterday assisting with recovery efforts providing transportation working alongside Village Utilities personnel conducting residential sewer assessments in all of the deep water flooded areas and will continue this morning in finalizing the street-by-street assessment.
ROAD CLEARING UPDATE:
Crews will continue with removal of "hangars" (limbs hanging & encroaching from above into the public right-of-way).
ALONG WITH FLOODING & VEGETATIVE DEBRIS IMPACTING PRIMARY ROADS, DEEP SAND (IN EXCESS OF "FEET") COVERING SOUTH BALD HEAD WYND DUE TO OVERWASH ARE PRESENTING A PROBLEM FOR ICE VEHICLES WITHOUT 4-WHEEL DRIVE GETTING STUCK. THIS WILL HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED ASAP.
ACTION PLANS FOR TODAY:
1. CONTINUED PUMPING OPERATIONS AND DEBRIS REMOVAL (HANGARS) WILL BE THE PRIORITIES OF THE DAY!
2. CONTINUE TO CONDUCT INDIVIDUAL SEWER PUMP ASSESSMENTS (STREET BY STREET) OF INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTIAL HOMES IN IDENTIFYING THOSE STILL UNDERWATER WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF NATIONAL GUARD PERSONNEL & HIGH-WATER VEHICLE ASSETS.
POST-STORM DEBRIS MANAGEMENT UPDATE
CONTINUED PLANNINIG & COORDINATION EFFORTS FOR DEBRIS REMOVAL TO INCLUDE:
a. VEGETATIVE DEBRIS
b. "WHITE GOODS" (i.e. refrigerators/freezers/washers & dryers)
c. GOLF CART BATTERIES
d. GOLF CARTS (IN PART OR WHOLE)
THE VILLAGE IS UNDER THE BRUNSWICK COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL DEBRIS MANAGEMENT CONTRACT WITH CROWDER GULF WHICH HAS BEEN ACTIVATED. VILLAGE STAFF HAVE COORDINATED FOR AN ON- ISLAND SITE VISIT WITH THE PROJECT MANAGER ASSIGNED TO THE VILLAGE.
OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO HAVE PLANS IN PLACE AND CLEARLY COMMUNICATED TO ALL PRIOR TO RE-ENTRY.
CHANGE IN OFFICE LOCATION & START DATE:
The Village has coordinated with BHI Transportation for the temporary relocation of the Village Administration Department at Deep Point Marina. The tentative date for re-opening of "VILLAGE HALL" at that location WIL BE TUESDAY September 25th, 2018.
While the Village's EOC Team must continue with recovery efforts working from its on-island location at Public Safety, it is recognized also that the "day-to-day" administrative operations must continue as well and that it is best for the safety & well-being of Village employees that it be operated from the mainland side until further notice.
AS NEW OR CHANGING INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE ON IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE RECOVERY EFFORT AN UPDATE WILL BE SENT OUT ASAP...
Thanks,
Chris McCall
Village Manager
