Carteret urges hurricane preparedness

Carteret County Emergency Services used the first day of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season to press residents to prepare before any storm is named. County guidance highlighted three immediate steps: review insurance coverage, check emergency supplies and know local evacuation and flood-zone information. The message aligns with broader warnings from state and local officials in coastal North Carolina that residents should not wait until a storm is already in the forecast. June 1 marks the start of hurricane season, which runs through Nov. 30, according to Carteret County’s emergency preparedness guidance. The county says families should prepare year-round, but it specifically urges residents to have a plan and supplies in place before tropical weather threatens the coast. ### What, exactly, is Carteret County telling residents to do first? Carteret County’s hurricane preparedness guidance tells residents to get ready before the storm, not during it. (carteretcountync.gov) The county’s Emergency Services webpages direct residents to build or refresh emergency plans, prepare homes and families for severe weather, and use county hurricane-preparedness resources covering conditions before, during and after a storm. (carteretcountync.gov) Mike Causey, North Carolina’s insurance commissioner, delivered a similar message in Carteret County on May 5. Causey said residents should review insurance coverage and make preparations before a storm threatens, warning that people who wait too long to buy flood insurance can run into both a moratorium once a storm is named and a 30-day waiting period afterward. ### Why is insurance review getting so much emphasis? (carteretcountync.gov) Flood insurance was singled out by Causey as a step residents should take early. “When a weather reporter announces a named storm, there’s a moratorium — insurance agents cannot write a new insurance policy once a storm has been named,” Causey said, according to WCTI. He added that after the storm passes, there is still a 30-day waiting period before a new flood policy takes effect. (wcti12.com) Carteret County’s broader preparedness message fits that timeline. By urging residents to review policies before the season’s threats develop, county and state officials are steering people toward decisions that cannot always be made once a storm is imminent. ### How much should people have in their emergency kits? Carteret County says residents should be ready to take care of themselves for at least 72 hours after a major disaster. (wcti12.com) The county’s emergency preparedness page says emergency workers may not be able to reach everyone right away and that, in some cases, “it may take three or more days for help to arrive.” It adds: “the first 72 (hours) are up to you.” That guidance is why officials keep stressing emergency kits. (carteretcountync.gov) A stocked kit is meant to cover the first days after a storm, when roads may be blocked, power may be out and emergency crews may be focused on life-safety calls and damage assessment. ### Where do evacuation and flood-zone questions fit in? Carteret County has been pushing evacuation planning in multiple public events ahead of June 1. A county hurricane preparedness expo in Morehead City on May 30 included evacuation-zone lookups and presentations from the National Weather Service, emergency managers and county staff. (carteretcountync.gov) Harkers Island was also the site of a county-backed “Storm Night 2026” discussion focused on issues unique to Down East communities. (carteretcountync.gov) Organizers said topics included storm planning, evacuation and re-entry procedures, road closures, power outages and lessons from past hurricanes. ### Where should residents look next? Carteret County’s Emergency Services pages now serve as the main public guide for hurricane preparation, including information for before, during and after a storm. (carteretcountync.gov) The county’s emergency preparedness page also states that hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30 and urges residents to maintain plans for their homes, families and businesses. June 1 is the formal start of the season, and Carteret County residents can use the county’s hurricane preparedness and emergency preparedness webpages to check planning guidance, evacuation information and storm-readiness resources as the season begins. (wcti12.com) (carteretcountync.gov)