As Hurricane Dorian spins in the Atlantic Ocean, with the heaviest impacts expected Thursday and extending into Friday, leaders throughout Sampson County made preparations with residents’ safety in mind. That included opening shelters and declaring states of emergencies that brought along curfews with them.

Tropical storm and flash flood warnings were already in effect Wednesday for Sampson, where 8-10 inches of rain was anticipated. Frequent wind gusts of 50-60 mph were also expected, with some 75 mph gusts possible. According to the National Weather Service in Raleigh, downed trees and power outages are very likely, especially with the bands of wind and rain expected late Thursday.

All local schools were closed Thursday, with those announcements made earlier in the week. Friday closures were pending, however it seemed a foregone conclusion the cancellations would likely extend. Sampson County Schools canceled Friday classes by late Wednesday, and an announcement on Clinton City Schools was expected Thursday.

There was also an increasing possibility of isolated tornadoes, the NWS reported.

By 5 p.m. Wednesday, before even the first drop of rain fell on Sampson, local shelters were opened and the Sampson County Emergency Operations Center was fully activated.

Curfews imposed

At the recommendation of the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, in consideration of the potential impact of tropical force winds and significant rainfall that could result in downed trees and power outages, Sampson County amended its State of Emergency to include a curfew for the county, to be imposed from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. each day, beginning Thursday, and continuing until rescinded.

The county declaration was made Tuesday, to include a voluntary evacuation order starting Wednesday morning for all people in Franklin Township, south of NC Highway 411 from the Town of Harrells to the Clear Run area as well as the area south of NC Highway 41. The voluntary evacuation was to remain in effect until rescinded or superseded by another state of emergency proclamation.

During a Tuesday meeting, Garland Mayor Winifred Murphy declared a state of emergency for the town in the southwestern area of the county. It began Tuesday evening and will remain effect until modified or rescinded by the mayor.

“We’re making sure we are prepared for anything that Dorian might bring us,” Murphy said before reading the declaration. “According to a news release from Sampson County, we’re expecting to get a lot of rain and a lot of wind, even if it does not make landfall.”

For area residents seeking shelter — no stranger to such storms after last year’s Florence — the closest facility is Union High School, 1189 Kader Merritt Road, Rose Hill (see related box for full list of shelters, as of Wednesday night). After the meeting, the town made calls to residents not on social media to inform them of the accommodations.

Maintenance workers were also cleaning out ditches and securing buildings to protect town property. With strong winds expected to hit the area, Garland officials were asking homeowners to move trash cans and secure anything that may get blown onto the streets.

“I know we had a problem with that last time,” Murphy said.

In Harrells, the town’s Board of Commissioners took similar actions as Garland with its state of emergency declaration. Town Clerk Cindy Ezzell reported that phone messages were also sent to residents to encourage them be prepared, check on their neighbors and to keep safety in mind at all times.

Following Garland and Harrells, Roseboro, Newton Grove, Autryville and Salemburg followed suit with their own emergency declarations on Wednesday, with Roseboro enacting a curfew starting at 9 p.m. Thursday. It will remain in effect nightly from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. until rescinded. Autryville enacted a curfew starting at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Manning shelters

Earlier this week, Susan Holder, public information officer for Sampson County, said county employees were already beginning their transition into their emergency roles, as defined by a recently-approved operations plan.

“We have accelerated training, including for our shelter chiefs,” Holder noted.

That training happened Tuesday and into Wednesday, when county offices closed at noon, allowing employees to report to their emergency assignments leading up to shelters opening.

At the Clinton High School shelter, volunteers welcomed a family when the doors opened at 5 p.m. As the storm gets closer to the area, more are expected to seek shelter at the facility. Monica Price of the Department of Social Services, served as the manager and she was assisted by deputy manager Natalie Blackmon and Derrick Crumpler.

“I have been with the agency for 29 years now and this is probably my third shelter,” Price said about helping evacuees. “I’m hoping that we don’t have anything that causes people to lose property and things like that. I think everyone feels good knowing they have a place to go if they need to.”

Nearby, the Sampson County Agri-Exposition Center served as the central receiving and distribution point for the area. It’s being managed by Ray Jordan, executive director of the expo center. Jordan and volunteers will be working with the Emergency Operations Center to deliver items to specific locations such as shelters, fire departments and EMS buildings.

As of Wednesday, water, cots, blankets and Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) are in storage.

“Our primary function is to service the shelters, the municipalities and the fire departments,” Jordan said. “As we go forward, we will be servicing those place first.”

Across Sampson, people were stocking up on hurricane supplies as they had since the weekend. Water, generators, batteries, flashlights and nonperishable food items were flying off shelves, and more loads were being transported back into stores by the palette-load.

Senator Brent Jackson (R-Sampson) urged North Carolina residents to be prepared for the storm.

“After Matthew and Florence, North Carolinians know all too well how devastating a storm of this magnitude can be,” Jackson stated. “Now is the time to stock up on supplies such as drinking water, nonperishable foods, flashlights, extra batteries, first aid kits, gas, medications and other items that your family may need. Residents should take this situation seriously and be ready to heed any evacuation orders ahead of the storm’s arrival.”

Linemen prepare

Linemen with local power companies were already organizing by the thousands.

South River Electric Membership Corporation officials said they were preparing vehicles and arranging for additional line crews and tree-cutting experts to assist in the restoration efforts immediately following the storm. Nearly 100 hotel rooms have been reserved, hundreds of meals planned and a myriad of supplies secured in the event of a long restoration period.

With the storm expected to move across the area quickly dropping several inches of rain accompanied by tropical-storm force winds, the result if often a number of fallen trees and branches, broken utility poles, fallen power lines and flooding.

“Safety is our number one priority,” said Catherine O’Dell, vice president of Member Services and Public Relations. “In order to ensure the safety of our personnel, who are dedicated to restoring service as quickly as possible, we cannot have anyone in a bucket when wind speeds exceed 35 miles per hour.

“We learned with previous storms that flooded roads pose a special danger for our big trucks, especially at night when it’s impossible to determine if a road is flooded or possibly washed out. Additionally, flooding impedes the ability to maneuver across the area.”

The cooperative advised members to prepare for outages that can last several days. Each home should have emergency supplies to last that long. Having a plan is especially important if there is someone in the home with special needs.

“We recommend that anyone with reliance on electricity make sure they have a generator with plenty of fuel or battery backup to last at least one week,” said O’Dell. “If neither of these options is available, we highly recommend evacuating to one of the area shelters.”

“We are all hoping that all of our efforts this week will result in a drill rather than a post-storm restoration event,” said O’Dell. “However, in our business it is best to prepare for the worst, but hope for the best.

Duke Energy officials stated that nearly 9,000 field personnel were ready to restore power after Hurricane Dorian moves out of the Carolinas later this week. That number includes an extra 4,000 field personnel from 23 states and Canada being moved in to supplement the 5,000 Duke Energy line workers and tree personnel already in the Carolinas.

Before power can be restored, crews first must assess the extent of damage — which can sometimes take 24 hours or more — to determine which crews, equipment and supplies are needed before repairs can begin. Crews will also work to restore power while damage assessment occurs as conditions allows, Duke officials said.

A truck load of water is transported down Sunset Avenue Wednesday by a Sampson County vehicle.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_dorian-water-1.jpgA truck load of water is transported down Sunset Avenue Wednesday by a Sampson County vehicle. Sherry Matthews|Sampson Independent

Ray Jordan, executive director of the Agri-Exposition Center, and Melanie Harris of the Sampson County Soil & Water Conservation District, review plans at the central receiving and distribution point.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_Prep_1-1.jpgRay Jordan, executive director of the Agri-Exposition Center, and Melanie Harris of the Sampson County Soil & Water Conservation District, review plans at the central receiving and distribution point. Chase Jordan|Sampson Independent

Natalie Blackmon, a deputy shelter manager at Clinton High School, places assignments on the board.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_Prep_2-1.jpgNatalie Blackmon, a deputy shelter manager at Clinton High School, places assignments on the board. Chase Jordan|Sampson Independent

Before the shelters opens, employees from Sampson County agencies begin preparation to help evacuees.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_Prep_3-1.jpgBefore the shelters opens, employees from Sampson County agencies begin preparation to help evacuees. Chase Jordan|Sampson Independent

https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_GetAttachmentThumbnail-1.jpgChase Jordan|Sampson Independent

Sampson County Public Works and Clinton City Schools leaders unload materials for the shelter.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_Prep_6-1.jpgSampson County Public Works and Clinton City Schools leaders unload materials for the shelter. Chase Jordan|Sampson Independent

Monica Price, shelter manager of Clinton High School, gives instructions to Sampson County employees and volunteers.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_Prep_4-1.jpgMonica Price, shelter manager of Clinton High School, gives instructions to Sampson County employees and volunteers. Chase Jordan|Sampson Independent
Shelters opened, curfews announced as Dorian looms

By Chris Berendt

and Chase Jordan

General population shelters in Sampson:

• Clinton High School, 340 Indian Town Road, Clinton

• Union High School, 1189 Kader Merritt Road, Rose Hill

• Hobbton Middle School, 12081 Hobbton Highway, Newton Grove

• Midway High School, 15274 Spivey’s Corner Highway, Dunn

• Lakewood High School, 245 Lakewood School Road, Salemburg

Special needs shelter

• Adult Day Health Center, 210 Fisher Drive, Clinton

Pet shelter

• Sampson County Animal Shelter, 168 Agriculture Place, Clinton.

Editor Chris Berendt can be reached at 910-592-8137 ext. 2587.